YOUR ONLY ASSET…?
0607 by Jeff Hess
In the ongoing reporter/blogger scuffle, the Washingon Post’s ombudsperson writes about credential creep. The Post’s print reporters are upset that Dan Froomkin might be mistaken as a White House reporter and threaten, says national political editor John Harris, our only asset — our credibility — as objective news reporters.
I fully agree that the most important asset of any person is their credibility. But if a reporter believes that that credibility rests on some idea of objectivity standard, then there is a major problem.
Credibility, for me, is tied to track record. If I, or any blogger, consistently gets a story wrong, then credibility goes down the drain. Being credible does not mean reporting that while most humans understand that the Earth is a sphere, that there are those who cling to the notion that we live on a flat disc (or square for some).
No. Credibility cannot rest on the objectivity myth. Instead I suggest that transparency is the foundation of credibility.
Fromkin is clearly highly opinionated and liberal writes Deborah Howell. That’s transparency. The reader knows from where the writer is coming and can then evaluate what is written.
Here’s the real problem. When you hide behind the wall of Objectivity, you can be grossly ignorant of what you’re being told, and, sadly, what you write. You can believe that if you fairly present both sides of any controversy, then you’ve done your job. Bull shit.
Rarely are the numerous (there are rarely just two sides) points of view on any topic of equal weight. But to report fairly on those viewpoints, the writer must be able to understand and weigh the individual credibility of each. That’s a tough job. It’s even tougher on deadline.
Hiding behind the Objectivity wall is the opposite of transparency, and that, for me, is the greater threat to any writer’s credibility
My Soundtrack: NASA Clapping by Robyn Hitchcock on WOXY.
I started listening to WOXY over the summer thanks to the 
Even paranoids have friends and Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) want to be one (or possibly both). The following, via 
Softball, the lovable Pee Dee mascot says I’ve been bad for all the piling-on I’ve been doing lately as regards newspapers in general and the Pee Dee in particular. I was taught it isn’t nice to kick someone when they’re down. So I’m going to stop. Really, I am. Hand to my heart, I won’t say anything bad about the Pee Dee anymore. Promise.
I remember about 15 years ago when I bought a wallet key. It’s a credit-card-sized plastic version of my car key that can be used in emergencies. Now I can add 
I’ll actually be traveling to Marietta in a couple of weeks to share the Christmas festivities with my family and it’s always a wonderful time of the year. I fully support the Take Back Christmas movement among Christians. But they have to realize that the enemy is Corporate America and the rationale is business. Nothing more.
I attempted to email Pee Dee Reader Representative Ted Diadun this evening to respond to his column in this morning’s paper. But, as you can see from the above, the cleveland.com system doesn’t like me for some reason. Anyway, here’s what I had to say to Ted about his idea of the superiority of newspapers:
Vice President Dick Cheney has been impersonating God. 
I got this email this morning. Usually I can spot spam and it quickly gets deleted. This could be a legitimate email, but there are enough telltales in it to set my Lemming Meter ticking. If it is spam, then the wetware elements are good. It’s just vague enough to entice someone to email back and then gotcha!, the spammer has a hot address.
The Royal City, Washington, school district attempted to dodge its culpability in a teacher’s rape of a 13-year-old student by claiming that the girl was partially responsible. This is a direct result of society’s acquiescence to the idea of trying children for murder. If we want to treat 13-year-olds as adults, give them the vote. Otherwise, shut up.
Combat deaths don’t tell the whole story. Seven House Democrats want the story told. Representatives 
A while back I posted about the launching of the 
…A rare… mint snowglobe… That’s the opening refrain from 
