The Quest for Unbiased Political Journalism

It’s not news that the majority of national media tends to have a democratic slant to political coverage. But party affiliations aside, what do we expect out of political analysts and journalists? We want the news, the facts, the stats and the bottom line. It seems to me some of the politico broadcasts are turning into a circus…I turn to Friday’s Joe Scarborough incident as an example. Apparently there is a dispute between FOX news and MSNBC reporting, style and fundamentals between executives that has tricked down to the journalists…? As interesting as reality TV is, and as popular as it has become, I don’t want this reality format to transpire to my news programs, especially those we turn to for the information we need to vote into office the US president – we need to be able to get the facts without an over-the-top theatrical performance. Entertainment is great, but when we watch the news, we should expect a certain amount of respect, order and straight up facts. I’m not against political opinions being shared by the journalist or show host, but let’s do it in a better way, Mr. Scarborough. In the words of Bill O’Reilly, “this is an unsolved problem (in the media).” However, Bill also claims to “just want to alert people,” which we all know is not “just” his style either!

I’ve heard a lot of good things about www.politico.com – and its ability to provide unbiased reporting of presidential candidates and campaigns. Here is it’s “About Us” summary:

The Politico's goals are simple. Over the past several weeks, we set out to assemble the most talented and interesting collection of journalists -- established names as well as promising young people -- that we could find. Now, we will turn these reporters loose on the subject we love: national politics. We will focus on three arenas. The first is Congress and the constant flow of agendas, personalities and power struggles that define daily life on Capitol Hill. The second is the 2008 presidential campaign, a race already churning and one likely to shape history in ways far beyond the typical election. The third is lobbying and advocacy, a part of the capital economy undergoing rapid growth and change. It is a business alive with interesting and influential characters whose impact is dimly understood and insufficiently covered.Check it out! I may be doing more of my campaign research on sites like these than shows like Mr. Scarborough’s, if reporting climates don’t change!

-Danica Low