Let's Talk About Journalism

 Let's talk about journalism...

Basic tenets of journalism:
1. Is it true?
2. Is it verifiable (can you prove it's true)?
3. Is publishing it in the public good? 

1. Is it true?
Truth is fact. It is not conjecture, opinion, or spin. It is empirically provable. It is not rumour or heresay or speculation. It is not driven by ideology. Reporters should report truth. This may include, "X said-, however, this research shows this is inaccurate." 

Fact-checking political statements against demonstrably true information is part of "Is it true".
We are seeing a lot of so-called journalists falling down on the job here. Repeating any politician's statements as truth without due diligence is not journalism. 

The parties have PR departments for that. Doing the homework and knowing the facts allows journalists to call out politicians when their claims deviate from the truth. This is the job of journalism. 

Truth vs Lies/speculation/conjecture. Robert Fife should have been fired back when his inaccurate words led to Maher Arar being detained & tortured. He shouldn't have worked in journalism in Canada ever again. Neither should the other journalists involved.

Hear No Evil, Write No Lies | The WalrusMaher Arar was portrayed as a sly fox, a predator working with al-Qaeda. He turned out to be a hare, an innocent family manhttps://thewalrus.ca/hear-no-evil-write-no-lies/

And yet, it is from this same scribe that we got the SNC-Lavelin scandal and the WE scandal. Why are people still believing him? He compromised his journalistic credibility ages ago. 

Truth in reporting can involve asking penetrating incisive questions. "When did you first learn of the arrangement between Mike Duffy and Nigel Wright?" after the arrangement became public, is a penetrating, incisive question. 

"Are you going to put a gun to the oppositions' head to force through your corrupt legislation?" Is not. I hope people can see the difference. The second question is loaded with assumptions and hyperbolic imagery. It is an example of very bad journalism. 

Asking the PM, "When will the pandemic end?" and then reporting that the PM "dodged" the question, is shoddy journalism. You cannot ask a question to which there is no known answer and then accuse the interviewee of misconduct in being unable to answer. That is shoddy journalism. 

2. Is it verifiable? Can you prove it is true?
This is the dividing line between accepting rumours or leaks as fact, and doing your own research and digging to find out if there is anything to it. There is a terrible trend towards rumour reporting. (again, see FIFE) 

Currently, there are a number of Canadian news organizations who will be subject to lawsuits based on their escalation of rumour, innuendo, conjecture, and speculation related to the WE thing. Speculation IS NOT journalism. Especially ideologically-driven speculation. 

3. Is publishing it in the public good?
This is contentious, apparently. Some feel the public has a right to know everything about our elected officials. The key question is, what purpose does that serve? Does some tidbit of gossip about an MP benefit Canadians by knowing? 

If an MP's child wets the bed beyond the age where that is "normal", should it be broadcast by our national news outlets? If it's rumoured that an elected official had a spat w/ their partner, is that news? Would you like your personal life broadcast? What purpose does it serve? 

If an elected official is being tested for diabetes, is that in the public interest to report? A health concern may become a significant issue, if it impedes that representative's ability to fulfill their duties, but in Canada we have traditionally regarded our representatives' interactions with their health care provider to be a private matter. MPs and MLAs have traditionally come forward if they have a health issue that may interfere with their job. So, what possible public good is an accounting of medical tests anyone may or may not have had? 

Until very recently, the families of our elected officials have been sacrosanct. This set us above the media in most countries where tabloids report nonsensical speculation about every politician or royal's private life. The Queen frowns and tabloids have Camilla incarcerated 

Is it in the public good to recount every tweak to legislation? Hundreds, maybe thousands of minor tweaks to legislation, are passed every year. Most are incredibly boring. Changing the wording on bills of lading, changing the way some signage must be presented... 

Changing a measure of acceptable levels of something by a tiny amount... these things are happening all the time. Is it in the public interest to report them all? No. In fact, it would probably deter the public from reading any political news. 

There is a certain enlightenment that is required to discern when some minor bit of legislative tweak is going to be newsworthy, and in the public good. It takes a strong grasp of the field of expertise in question, and some good reporter's intuition to dig deeper. 

But only after digging, consulting with experts, should that sort of thing become news. If there is something newsworthy and in the public good. And to report it, it must pass all three tests. 

Likewise, it is shoddy journalism to not publish information that does not align with some ideological stance. Two things came to my attention today that I fear will not get the attention they deserve from a public good standpoint. 

Here's one:

Here's another:

Journalists need to understand that good news stories can absolutely be in the public good. Our media must not hide good news just because they don't like the government. Especially now. We all need good news. Why are our government's success stories not being told? 

We need our fourth estate to be pure of partisan biases and interference. Now more than ever. We need reporters who do their homework and call out misinformation. We need journalistic integrity. We do not need rumours, or innuendo. We need facts and clear information. 

Where Are Our Journalists, Part 7 - The Death of the Fourth Estate in Canada

Buckle up. It's a meta-thread.
#cdnpoli #cdnmedia #WhereAreOurJournalists 

The first thing a conqueror does is take control of the means of mass communication. In modern times, this means mainstream media. The American right bought our broadcasters & newspapers. Because Harper changed the laws to let them in. Harper loaded the CBC with supporters. Even out of power, the right controls the message.  

This is why, throughout the recent federal election campaign and for a long time before, the CPC has only got softball questions from journalists and the Prime Minister has been put under a magnifying glass continuously.  

Political shows regularly have panels whose diversity includes the far-right, the centre-right, the Greens, and the NDP, and they all take turns saying what a terrible job Trudeau is doing and what a terrible person he is. 

The media does not do their job of explaining unfamiliar concepts to the public. Very little effort was made, for example, to explain what a Deferred Prosecution Agreement is. When Andrew Scheer and other CPC voices claimed that Trudeau was pressuring JWR to "let SNC off the hook" or "let SNC get away scot-free", no one corrected that by saying exactly why that was incorrect, and what a DPA actually is. 

I encourage anyone who thinks a Deferred Prosecution Agreement is "dropping all charges" to read this excellent analysis:

Thread by @sunnshiiny: "@Alex_Panetta There is a huge issue with your article on the recent Canadian Election. A glaring mistake which misinforms your readers about […]"Thread by @sunnshiiny: "@Alex_Panetta There is a huge issue with your article on the recent Canadian Election. A glaring mistake which misinfers about the SNC scandal. Trudeau did NOT pressure the At…https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1187410671740211200.html

and also this one:

Thread by @sunnshiiny: "As I detailed, with evidence, a DPA is not “dropping” charges. It’s an alternative to prosecution of a corporation. A corporation made up of […]"Thread by @sunnshiiny: "As I detailed, with evidence, a DPA is not “dropping” charges. It’s an alternative to prosecution of a corporation. Aade up of many innocent workers who do not deserve to be t…https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1187466168220573701.html

When Andrew Scheer or CPC voices make outrageous claims, no one counters them. It is offensive to journalistic standards and to the Canadian people, that our media are not fulfilling their central and most basic duty: to present the facts. 

Canadians deserve truth, instead we get spin from our media. We are seeing an abject failure to provide anything but click-bait and right-wing ideology. 

The field is getting very murky, as well. Outlets such as Rebel Media and Buffalo Chronicles are treated as real news sources. They are not, in case you have any confusion about that.
Here is an expose on the Buffalo Chronicle:

freethepresscanada.org/?s=Buffalo+Chr… 

And here is a discussion of what passes for journalism in the Rebel Media universe:

Unfortunately, mainstream media has been treating these sources as though they have something valuable to add to the political conversation in this country. 

Not unlike how our mainstream media has been treating organisations like the Fraser Institute, the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation & other right-wing operatives of the CPC as though they offered legitimate research.

Regarding the Fraser Institute:

Thread by @stephenlautens: "One more obvious thing about the Fraser Institute tax "study": What is a "profit tax"? Except for this chart, it is never defined or mention […]" #cndpoli #cdnpoliThread by @stephenlautens: "One more obvious thing about the Fraser Institute tax "study": What is a "profit tax"? Except for this chart, it in the report itself, so we don't know what it is. It isn'…https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1157649107466559488.html

Thread by @profagagne: "1/ Read this short piece on how the Fraser Institute uses misleading data to further their austerity agenda. north99.org/2019/08/02/thi… 2/ […]"Thread by @profagagne: "1/ Read this short piece on how the Fraser Institute uses misleading data to further their austerity agenda. north99/thi… 2/ This is not surprising, since "Canada's leading ri…https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1157384313836621824.html

Thread by @RomboughSunni: "Fraser Institute recommends healthcare policy in AB. Since UCP hasn’t released a clear platform, this is the best way to approximate what Ke […]"Thread by @RomboughSunni: "Fraser Institute recommends healthcare policy in AB. Since UCP hasn’t released a clear platform, this is the best e what Kenney’s plans may be. Let’s look at their 7 sugges…https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1101113580441595904.html

The Frontier Centre for Public Policy is another American-funded right-wing entity that floats policy balloons for the CPC.

Thread by @wearenorth99: "THREAD. The Frontier Centre for Public Policy (FCPP), a Canadian think-tank, claims it's a myth that "residential schools robbed native kids […]"Thread by @wearenorth99: "THREAD. The Frontier Centre for Public Policy (FCPP), a Canadian think-tank, claims it's a myth that "residential snative kids of their childhood". oursask.ca/2018/09/23/an-…https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1044290973180874753.html

Regarding the Canadian Taxpayers Federation:

Thread by @Tentoads4truth: "Canadian Taxpayers Federation a 'partner' of right-wing U.S.-based Atlas Network advocacy group once headed by Alberta Opposition Leader Jas […]"Thread by @Tentoads4truth: "Canadian Taxpayers Federation a 'partner' of right-wing U.S.-based Atlas Network advocacy group once headeJason Kenney, has always been tight-lipped about the sources of i…https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1109482163915743232.html

And the thing is, Canadian media, including the CBC, report these and other, similar, organisations as valid news sources. This is doing a grave disservice to Canadians. Where is the fact-checking? 

How can a legitimate news agency simply repeat what a "think-tank" funded by Aurea and the Koch Foundation as some sort of gospel truth? 

And the CBC's own pollster, Eric Grenier, does not have a degree in math or statistics. I am shocked. Not that someone without proper credentials set themselves up as an expert but that our national broadcaster has given such a person the credence of being their official political statistician.

Thread by @BiggerDataSci: "Eric Grenier does not have a degree in math or statistics. Is that why he misinterprets data for personal promotion? I'm not sure. But let's […]" #cdnmedia #elxn43Thread by @BiggerDataSci: "Eric Grenier does not have a degree in math or statistics. Is that why he misinterprets data for personal promot together. cbc.ca/news/politics/… We're going to talk about …https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1187554563299172358.html

Canadians, many Canadians anyway, trust the CBC. Or, used to. It is the mandate of the CBC to provide fair and unbiased news. They are meant to operate outside the market pressures imposed upon corporately-owned and advertiser-controlled media. So, what gives here? 

It is not surprising that all the PostMedia papers, which is most of the newspapers in Canada, are following the dictates of their American owners. For example, the pre-election editions of all PostMedia papers across the country: 

The compromised state of PostMedia publications has not gone unnoticed:

Postmedia Is Taking A Turn (Further) To The RightThe inside story of the plan to muffle moderate voices at Canada's biggest newspaper companyhttps://www.canadalandshow.com/the-conservative-transformation-of-postmedia/

So, where can we now turn to for legitimate news? Why has our national broadcaster become a stenographer for what Harper, Scheer, and other CPC voices refer to as "the conservative movement". The euphemism is important. This is not just about the CPC in Canada. 

It is a global organisation, shepherded by the IDU (International Democratic Union), the president of which is none other than Canada's former PM, Stephen Harper. The IDU co-ordinates right-wing parties world-wide, helping them to win.

Stephen Harper Heads a Global Org That Helps Get Right-Wing Parties Elected. What Will It Do for Andrew Scheer? | The TyeeVoter suppression works. Ask the Kochs, Trump and our very own robocall fakers.https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2019/08/06/Harper-Heads-Global-Org-Help-Elect-Right-Wing-Parties/

There is a "movement". It is not pro-democracy. It is Orwellian. 

The IDU is working very hard to install right-wing, authoritarian governments everywhere.  

There is foreign interference in our elections. There is misrepresentation or outright lies in the statements in our media. There is a concerted effort to turn us against one another. 

The media we consume changes how we think. You might think you are in control of your own opinions. Unless you are employing high level critical thinking skills and are keenly aware of the techniques being used to influence you, you are not.

The Brainwashing Of My DadThe truth behind the right-wing media machine that changed a father--and divided the nationhttp://www.thebrainwashingofmydad.com/

This may seem anecdotal, but there are a number of longitudinal, large sample studies that demonstrate that the media you consume influences your world-view. The research confirms the premise of this film. 

Personally, I am not content to let this global conservative movement usurp Canadian values, identity, or sovereignty. 

So, what is the solution? We call upon the government to bring in laws to limit foreign ownership of our media. We give the CRTC real teeth to combat the overwhelming tsunami of American media influences in Canada. We put a cap on American programming available in Canada.  

Don't panic. There is brilliant programming from other parts of the world we could access. 

We fully fund the CBC and, at the same time, demand journalistic accountability. The current "ombudsman" complaint process is a joke. I have complained to the ombudsman many times about what I felt to be misleading headlines (which often echo the CPC attack lines). 

The response is always some variation of this: 

To summarise: "The issues are too complex to reflect accurately in a headline. We know most people only read the headline. We're going to use the CPC interpretation of the issue as our headline. It's easier for people to understand." Not good enough. Not by a long chalk. 

We demand that the CBC, our national broadcaster, fulfill their mandate to educate and inform to the highest standards of journalistic integrity. If they are fully funded and not dependent on advertiser dollars they cannot claim to be beholding to any external party. 

We crack down on rogue misinformation sites. We demand fact-checking of ALL political parties' statements. The media is supposed to hold the politicians to account. It appears we must hold the media to account to do this job. 

For long term success, we empower our schools to teach media literacy, critical thinking and Canadian civics from K-12. 

A misinformed, deluded, and ignorant citizenry is fertile ground for the end of democracy and the freedoms and privileges we enjoy as Canadians. We must stop it now. We must DEMAND better from our elected representative, and we must DEMAND better from our media.