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This is a direct quote from a textbook (admittedly published in 1991) called The Media of Mass Communication by John Vivian.
…most American news organizations pride themselves on a neutral presentation and go to extraordinary lengths to prove it. To avoid confusion between straight reporting and commentary, opinion pieces are set apart in clearly labeled editorial sections. Most journalists, even those with left or right leanings, have a near-religious regard for detached, neutral reporting.
Was this true in 1991? Was it ever true?
Why do we tell lies in textbooks? The book itself is biased. A journalism book.
7 responses so far ↓
1 Tina Kubala // Nov 5, 2007 at 2:43 am
I don’t think it was ever true. Don’t you remember the term “yellow journalism” from the days old. Plus, just by choosing which stories to carry there is editorial judgment.
2 Dawn // Nov 5, 2007 at 9:53 am
unfortunately that’s not the worst lie i’ve seen in a textbook.
3 ken // Nov 5, 2007 at 10:39 am
If you want truth, read ‘America’ by Jon Stewart.
Not a lie to be found!
God Bless, the United States of Sarcasm.
4 Josh // Nov 5, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Popaganda in our schools! Never! I am both shocked and outraged!
There needs to be a special comment font for sarcasm.
5 ken // Nov 5, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Times New Roman is a great sarcastic font. Any serif font, really, but if you want undiluted sarcasm, seriously, use Times New Roman.
6 Taylor // Nov 6, 2007 at 6:10 pm
@ken Jon Stewart’s “America” is out on my coffee table! I think my favorite part is the part about the puritans.
@Josh We may only need some kind of symbol. I think these ~~ aren’t used enough!
@dawn I’ve been wanting to get a hold of one of the jr’s American history textbook & the civics textbook. I’ve seen some whoppers in the Civics book before, and I’m just making a bet on Am. History. I’m almost afraid to look.
@Tina Editorial judgment! That’s what we’re working on now. I never realized how hard it would be to teach J. w/o being too political. Probably should have, of course.
7 Penelope // Nov 21, 2007 at 6:26 pm
I don’t use my American history textbook anymore. There’s a great online textbook + collection of primary sources for American history at http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/ and I use that when I want them to read.
Last year, one of my 11th grade US classes asked me about halfway through the unit on the Revolution what lies they learned in middle school I was going to point out that day. I was proud of them for seeing it, but also sad at the sheer volume of CRAP I had to help them unlearn.
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