An article out of Pittsburgh takes on the mainstream media’s recent reaction to the John Edwards scandal. But the story is more about how the blogosphere is changing news delivery.
Such is the inevitable result of the revolution in the communication of news in the anything-goes Internet era. The old standards of how and when to report a story have gone out the window when instant disclosure is the imperative; anybody with a laptop can become Walter Winchell or Matt Drudge.
These are discouraging times for reporters who grew up under rigid restraints on pursuing stories within established boundaries of truth and accuracy — and with regard for privacy and reader sensitivities of all sorts. Those olden days, when a glimpse of stocking was looked on as something shocking and was never reported, are long gone.
snip
With the blogging phenomenon already elbowing itself into mainstream print outlets, you can expect more sensationalism ahead — especially in the once gray and staid top dogs of the circulation-sinking newspaper business.
If you are in news, you blog or if you are in news and you blog either personally or professionally, I encourage you to read the whole thing.
Newscoma 
Obviously Jules doesn’t remember most of the late 19th/early 20th century discussion in journalism history class. The sensationalism train has come and gone and come again, especially now that the Times et al. can no longer be counted on to be accurate or factual. See also Adnan Hadjj, the Boston Globe “GI rape” photos taken from a fetish porn site, Jayson Blair, Rick Hagg, and about a thousand other reporters making up stories, photo doctoring episodes, and lying about credentials.
It’s sad we live in a world where the biggest newspapers and news gathering agencies in the country are full of lies and horse shit, but the National Enquirer is telling the truth.
Also Steven Glass.
I think every journalist in this country should see Shattered Glass a minimum of five times.
Good observation, Ron.
Oh man, I forgot about that guy. That’s also a great movie, despite the presence of Anakin Skywalker (actually, he’s pretty good in it).
I hate that I sound so jaded, but what reason do I have to trust the news organizations, given their history of lying to me?
It’s a good point. You don’t sound jaded so much as frustrated and disappointed.
As am I to a large degree.