NO ETHICS....NOT A JOURNALIST.....

Like the medical profession and their adherence to the Hippocratic Oath, journalists are bound by a Code of Ethics. I'm a firm believer in an ethical balance in just about every course of life, only those in the "journalistic" fields have thrown out ALL the rules. The print media has appeared to take on certain stances with complete disregard to ethics, as well as the 24 hour news, and network news organizations. No one is shocked by this, I'm sure.

In my humble opinion, I feel we can no longer call many of these shows that air - "news" shows. Believeing that one needs a degree in journalism to sit behind a desk, whether that would be in front of a camera or in a newspaper office - appears to be passe as well. So, if one does not have a degree in journalism, they are NOT required to follow the journalism Code of Ethics? Something has gone terribly wrong!

I have compiled a "small" (ha!) list of those we see daily - and their college degrees.

ABC
Diane Sawyer - Degree in English '67, Wellesley College
Charles Gibson - B.A. ? (not journalism) '65, Princeton University (failed to get in Harvard Law School)


CBS
Katie Couric - Degree in American Studies '79, University of Virginia (daughter of journalist)



NBC
Brian Williams - Brookdale Community College > George Washington University > The Catholic University of America...no degree! Honorary Doct. of Journalism from The Ohio State University '08


CNN
Wolf Blitzer - B.A. History, M.A. International Relations, Johns Hopkins University
Rick Sanchez - University of Minnesota - Journalism Scholarship - no degree.
Anderson Cooper - Degrees in Political Science and INternational Relations, Yale University '89.
Campbell Brown - B.A. Political Science, Regis College



MSNBC
Rachel Maddow - Deg. in Public Policy '94, Rhodes Scholar, Doctor of Philosophy, Oxford University '01.
Keith Olbermann - B.S. in Communication Arts, Cornell '79.
Joe Scarborough - B.A. Univ. of Alabama, JD, Univ. of Florida College of Law '90.
Chris Matthews - Deg. Economics, College of the Holy Cross '67.
Ed Schultz - Grad. of Minnesota State University (? degree).
Dylan Ratigan - B.A. Political Economics, Union College



FOX
Chris Wallace - Attended Harvard - no degree.
Bill O'Reilly - Marist College, History, B.A. '71, Queen Mary College of University of London, M.A. Broadcast Journalism Boston University.
Glenn Beck - Took one theology class @ Yale Univ. (Sen. Joe Lieberman recommended him through Courses for Non-Traditional Students. No Degrees.
Sean Hannity - What can I say...He was a general contractor and a bartender - NO HIGHER EDUCATION.
Greta Van Susteren - Deg. from Univ. of Wisconsin in Geography & Economics. Law degree from Georgetown University Law Center '79.
Shepard Smith - Univ. of Mississippi - studied Journalism, no degree.
Steve Doocy - Univ. of Kansas, B.A. in Journalism.
Brian Kilmeade - Grad. of Long Island University (? degree)

After I perused the journalism code of ethics...it was quite apparent that there is a complete disregard for most tenets, in most reporting agencies. I would imagine that is why I prefer to have multiple sources for my information.

The primary problem would be ACCURACY. And this is just "in your face", Faux Noise lacks the most accuracy. "Deliberate distortion is never permissible" - would be Faux's basic faux pas. Watching Hannity the other night (saw it on video - never watch it live), put up a video for Michael Moore's benefit - trying to trip him up with "their" undercover video of a hospital in Cuba - was hysterical.

Hannity was trying to give a "gotcha" moment to Moore - in opposition to his movie "Sicko", when he stated about the premium care in Cuban hospitals. Being the total asshole that Hannity is - he actually thought he was going to show a cut and edited video to a great director? WTF?? When Hannity asked for Moore's response to the squalor he was seeing on the film, Moore stated, "I'm waiting to see patients, or doctors and nurses." The light bulb must have gone off, and Hannity quickly tried to change the subject as he was caught dead to rights, with scamming the audience with the doctored film.

But this is what people believe - it is being aired on their TV's "so it must all be true!"

The FCC or powers that be, need to hold these news outlets to some ethical standard. I would love to see the day when "fair and balanced" truly means just that.

Until that time - we must ask questions and check sources and facts - because the people we depend on, certainly have missed the mark.

Trivia on journalism major Sarah Palin:
Attended Hawaii Pacific University - business admin. program, one semester Fall '82.
Attended North Idaho College - general studies two semesters '83.
Attended Univ. of Idaho - Journalism major - left Spring of '85
Attended Matanuska-Susitna College - one semester.
Back to Univ. of Idaho - finally degree in journalism.

She apparently is well qualified to be on any of these cable/network shows!! Egads!!!!

AND SHE STILL CAN'T PUT TOGETHER A COHERENT SENTENCE OR TANGIBLE THOUGHT!! SCARY!!



Off to buy some more OTC meds. Feeling slightly better, but throat still sore. Have a good one. Later.....................



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