Columbia Journalism Review: Still Smokin'

They ought to change the name to the Columbia Journalism Apologia, because that's all they seem to do. They don't "review" or "criticize," except of course for blogs and FoxNews and the New York Post. Everytime the MSM gets caught dirty, they go into full spin mode.

And now they're claiming the Al-Newsweek desecration story did not spur any riots. None. Not at all. Not even a factor.

And so it goes.

I've said this before and I'm sick of saying it, but here goes anyway:

The media does provide an important function to our democracy by acting as a watchdog on government, business, and... well, just about everything else.

But they are an extraodinarily powerful institution themselves. Indeed, they themselves would make the case, in an unguarded and braggarty moment, that as they supply information to the world, they are the most important and powerful institution on the planet.

And yet... they don't seem particularly interested in watch-dogging themselves.

Which is curious. How can one of the most important and powerful institutions on the planet not need a watchdog, whereas much less consequential ones (like, say, the Boy Scouts of America) do?

And if the media will not watchdog themselves, someone else will have to.

And they should all stop whining about it and grow a pair. It's the new normal, guys. If you were doing your jobs properly, there'd be no need for bloggers or the Shadow Media at all.

Competitors cannot break into an industry which is well-serving its customers.

posted by Ace at 11:46 AM

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