Great Quote: Ed Brayton on media bias and accuracy

Here’s a quote that’s just demanding to be added to my Random Quotes section (lower left sidebar):

“Let's get something straight: there is no such thing as objective journalism. Every single journalist brings his or her own preconceptions to everything they do, including me. There is no point in pretending otherwise. Just own up to your biases and wear them on your sleeve for all to see and readers and viewers can take that into account. All that really matters is accuracy. If bias leads to inaccuracies in the reporting, then point out the inaccuracies. If it doesn't, then accusations of bias are meaningless.”

— Ed Brayton, Dispatches from the Culture Wars

Exactly. Claiming that someone is biased, or whining about media bias (whether it be conservative or, as is much bemoaned (by conservatives), liberal), is just silly. Every human on Earth has their opinions and takes on events and situations, which makes them biased. All that matters when it comes to journalism, is whether reporters and journalists are able to still see clearly enough to communicate the news through a clear and rational perspective and keep information accurate. Only if your bias is tainting the reliability of what you report is it time to go.

[Stares long and pointedly at Faux News]

(via Dispatches from the Culture Wars)
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