Balancing Things Out « The NLGJA Blog:
The National Lesbian and Gay Journalist Association analyze a Washington Post piece that doesn't quite get "balanced" correct.
In fact, "balanced" journalism is quite often skewed to the right, giving the right more face time, more soundbites, and more of the benefit of the doubt. Especially when it comes to LGBT issues, the prevailing cultural attitude is one of oppression to LGBTs. The "balanced" reporting often just reinforces that, rather than trying to challenge that. A true balance would be to make readers think critically about the issues, and not just hear an echo of their own insular, unchallenged thinking.
"The story keeps this tone, including an interesting disagreement over whether LGBTs account for 15 or 19 percent of the city’s population. What’s missing, however, is a single voice of a DC minister who supports same-sex marriage. The story even acknowledges they exist, but then fails to actually quote one of the 200 religious leaders who are members of Clergy United for Marriage. It’s not that there aren’t any African American ministers who support same-sex marriage, yet they don’t make it into the story."
The National Lesbian and Gay Journalist Association analyze a Washington Post piece that doesn't quite get "balanced" correct.
In fact, "balanced" journalism is quite often skewed to the right, giving the right more face time, more soundbites, and more of the benefit of the doubt. Especially when it comes to LGBT issues, the prevailing cultural attitude is one of oppression to LGBTs. The "balanced" reporting often just reinforces that, rather than trying to challenge that. A true balance would be to make readers think critically about the issues, and not just hear an echo of their own insular, unchallenged thinking.
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