Rick Wilcox: Press should remain objective or risk becoming irrelevant
Re “The Fourth Estate is a necessity” (Page 1D, Jan. 8): There’s a lot to question in Harvard Law School Constitutional Law Professor Noah Feldman’s op-ed piece, but I’m responding to his historical claim defending media bias “the press doesn’t have to be objective. It can have a political bent – as it clearly did in Madison’s time.” Prof. Feldman, be careful what you wish for.
Today’s activist media (on both sides) are in danger of making themselves irrelevant. Their bias endangers their primary mission: to report the facts in a fair and balanced way. Take out “fair and balanced” and you have today’s self-important, partisan press. If “news” devolves into propaganda for the right or left this will lead us to question the truth of what is reported. When the media’s veracity is in question, I will go elsewhere for my news. I do not need the media to tell me what to think. Drawing conclusions is my job, please just give me the facts!
Rick Wilcox, Knights Ferry
This story was originally published January 10, 2017 at 4:19 PM with the headline "Rick Wilcox: Press should remain objective or risk becoming irrelevant."