On Fri, 22 Apr 2011 11:19:28 +0200, andrel wrote:

> IIRC the loophole here is that you can report that someone has an
> opinion as a fact. To spread an idea you only need to locate someone who
> has that as an opinion and if that fails have someone from your own
> staff in a 'discussion' program express that opinion. After that it is
> factual news.

That's different than the 'reporter' giving their opinion during the news 
and stating it as a factual statement.

It's one thing to say "John thinks this is bad" and a reporter saying 
"this is bad".

The first is reporting.  The second is stating the reporter's opinion.

> Recently been watching mostly Al Jazeera (the English version) as a news
> source. They probably have their own bias, but everytime I think I know
> what it is, they broadcast something to prove me wrong. I wonder what
> it's mere existence has done for the change in attitude that led to the
> current developments in the middle east.

Yeah, I've heard they're one of the best sources for factual/actual 
news.  Of course reporters' opinions can creep in from time to time, 
regardless of the venue, but the fact that Fox News was banned from 
broadcasting in Canada recently because they're *not* actually providing 
news was quite telling, I thought.

Jim

Post a reply to this message