[TexaninVA]

Originally Posted by redwitch

I gave up on news in the 80s. My disillusionment occurred when Janet Cooke (Cook?) reported the story of the child heroin addict in the Post and repeated in the NYT. When it was shown to be fabricated and the Pulitzer had to be returned, I understood that news had to be taken with a grain of salt and fact checked as much as possible. Have felt that way ever since.

I don’t want a reporter’s opinions. I want the facts. I can make my own determinations from that. Today, I try to hear at least two sources of opposing sides before coming to any conclusions. Online, it is pretty much AP News for me. At least they tell me at the end of the article if a commentary or a news story. And I miss Al Jazeera.

As one of my favorite news reporters once said, “Journalists were never intended to be the cheerleaders of society, the conductors of applause, the sycophants. Tragically, that is their assigned role in authoritarian societies but not here — not yet.” Sadly, we have finally reached the not yet stage.

Al Jazeera is funded by Qatar which is hardcore Islamist ...ie Muslim Brotherhood.