Time was when newspapers were as stalwart in defending the First Amendment rights of others as they were for themselves.  But increasingly, some media organizations are using their constitutionally protected platforms to intimidate others into surrendering their rights.

Specifically, we’re talking about the right to “petition the government for a redress of grievances,” which is part of the First Amendment, along with freedom of religion, speech, the press, and assembly.  In contemporary parlance, redress of grievances translates into lobbying, which has become something of a dirty word.  In practice, it covers everything from writing your congressman on an issue or seeking a service academy appointment for your kid, to organized meetings between government officials and industry representatives.

Most news organizations understand and respect this precept, and it’s reflected in their coverage of events that involve the matter.  This February 25 article from the financial news organization Marketwatch illustrates how reporting of this nature should be handled – flatly and factually: (more…)

We already know true journalism is dead, with but a few courageous reporters carrying the last beacons of light in the apocalyptic landscape of the Fourth Estate.   In recent years, however, newspaper editorial boards have vastly overstepped their boundaries in commentary on issues of which they know nothing.  We really should change the name of the Opinion Editorial to Informed Opinion Editorial.  After all, do we really want the Village Idiot telling us what he thinks?

Specifically, I refer to an irresponsible screed in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, in which they call on the FDA to ban bisphenol-A (BPA), a common building block of in plastics found in great abundance in our everyday products.

It’s bad enough that any outside entity should try to exert influence over the FDA’s decision-making process.  Thankfully, the FDA ignored the Journal Sentinel, and just announced that it considers BPA to be safe, while reasonably calling for continued studies.

This doesn’t change the importance of rags like the Journal Sentinel from meddling in something they know nothing about, and hoping to influence an independent body. The ramifications of the Journal Sentinel’s behavior go deeper than the message it’s sending.  By attempting to pressure a body charged with protecting the public, it sets a dangerous precedent that affects each and every one of us. (more…)