After Juan Williams

Posted at 7:55 AM on October 23, 2010 by Bob Collins (3 Comments)
Filed under: Media

There probably isn't a newsroom in America -- certainly not a public broadcasting newsroom -- that isn't having a conversation about what its journalists can say when they're out giving speeches, appearing on panels, or hanging around in their own neighborhood.

It stems from Juan Williams' run-in with reality this week. Moving on from the specifics of the case, however, PBS looks at what it means for other journalists.

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Comments (3)

It is not just what a journalist says out giving speeches, appearing on panels, or hanging around in their own neighborhood. It is how what they say can interpreted - for whatever reason.

Posted by GregS | October 24, 2010 8:32 AM

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Yes, that's going to be the fallout here because sites like TPM, Powerline, Daily Kos, and Breitbart have one thing in common -- if something needs to be taken out of context to achieve the mission -- Shirley Sherod also comes to mind -- that's what has to be done.

The best thing for journalists to do is to stop saying anything about anything and read the script.

The professor from B.U. had it correct when he said one of the problems is the news consumer. We talk about wanting to have honest -- even painful -- conversations and dialogue, but do we really? Or are we just waiting for the next chance to "get em?"

Posted by Bob Collins | October 24, 2010 9:07 AM

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Who is this "news consumer" of whom you speak? Average consumer's flights of fancy cannot be predicted. Although on reflection if the story has sex and scandal those seem to be top attention getters. Just like it is not what Juan Williams said that seems to be the issue, it is NPR’s (or is it APM?) handling of the matter. Would the average person even know who Juan Williams is without that?

Posted by BJ | October 25, 2010 9:09 AM

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