"So what should happen now?
The Globe and Mail has itself a big, big problem. The Wente Affair makes the newspaper -- and the rest of mainstream journalism -- seem hopelessly out of touch with the internet-savvy hordes who seem to enjoy circling around the decaying corpse of authority these days.
...
When Stead was appointed to the job last January, editor-in-chief John Stackhouse said: "The Globe and Mail is among the most respected names in Canadian media, because we've always been held to the highest standards. Credibility is our currency and we want to protect its value."
That currency has taken a fast plunge. One reader addresses it in a comment attached to Stead's column: "As questionable as I find Wente's lapses of journalistic integrity, the greater blame falls to The Globe for being so irresponsible as to give her this space and lending her an air of credibility by virtue of their (former) reputation. I stopped subscribing to the Globe years ago when it became apparent they were abdicating their responsibility to the public as a source of responsible journalism. This gutless editorial downplaying and excusing Wente's abuses has made me lose any remaining respect I had...No accountability = No subscription."
'via Blog this'
Pop quiz: When confronted with something like this, do you:
a. recognize that you're in deep doo-doo, reflect on how you got there, and take tangible steps to fix the problems that made it happen
b. circle the wagons, stick your fingers in your ears, and go "la la la la la?"
See also:
The Globe’s (and wider media’s) response to this is telling and a serious wake-up call
Margaret Wente Plagiarism Allegations: Globe Responds To Criticism (TWITTER)
Did anybody see where Margaret Wente?
And it slowly builds. This could be a defining moment in modern Canadian journalism. It's not just about Wente, Stead or the Globe & Mail. It's much bigger than them. Our media has been sputtering along without any policing, not even from its readers. The media's condescension and feeling of being above reproach, ethics or morality has been tackled at the ankles. Not that the journalism itself will change, but skepticism and a more courageous stance from journalists towards each other and their industry could result. That would almost be enough.
ReplyDeleteShe brought it upon herself by being so lazy and stupid.
ReplyDeleteYAY, this story has legs. I know the twitterverse was on fire but I was thrilled to see this tackled by the MSM. It is bigger than Wente and it's not just about plagiarism. It is about the loss of professionalism and integrity in the field of journalism. I am reminded of Judith Miller who helped promote the war on Iraq by using fabricated propaganda in her investigative journalism work.
ReplyDelete