By Tracy Dingmann
A fair and robust media is key to maintaining democracy in America – wouldn’t you agree?
It is true that newspapers – traditionally considered a blue-chip medium – have become less significant as more consumers turn to the Internet for news. But even amid plummeting circulation, newspapers continue to take their role seriously as the ultimate governmental and societal watchdogs.
Newspaper readers in Albuquerque used to have a choice of two daily papers, each with separate and widely different staffs who gathered the news and disseminated opinions. But since the Albuquerque Tribune closed last year, a sizable number of New Mexicans have had to rely on the Albuquerque Journal for their daily dose of local news, politics and opinion.
What’s wrong with that?
Well, this country was founded on the principles of free speech - the idea that all Americans benefit when a multiplicity of voices are heard. That’s the most compelling reason for lamenting the death of a major media outlet in our community.
But there’s something else that’s always been there about the Journal – I noticed it all throughout the 18 years I spent there writing for a variety of departments, and I think it’s gotten more pronounced since the Tribune closed.
And I don’t think I’m the only one who sees it.
Every day I talk to Journal readers who express dismay at the paper’s editorial stances and seemingly related news coverage – content that often seems driven by a undefined political agenda, not one that simply covers the facts. The fact that some news stories and editorial opinions appear to be in lockstep flies in the face of the long-cherished journalistic principle that there should be a hefty firewall between news and opinion.
For me – and for many others I talk to – the problem isn’t so much with the reporters – it’s with the decisions that fall squarely into editorial territory.
On the news pages, it’s things like headlines that don’t match a reporter’s story, puzzling story choices for the front page or investigations that amount to thinly-veiled vendettas against certain people or groups.
On the editorial page, it’s endorsements that are wildly out of step with the community, or the barrage of conservative columnists who express views grossly dissonant to the ideological views of most of those who live here.
Then there’s the things that the editorial department simply doesn’t have – like ethnic diversity in management and a positive image and involvement in the wider community.
All this is especially disturbing in light of the fact that the Journal calls itself the state’s “Paper of Record,” a term that implies that it covers everything and covers it fairly. The Journal also claims that its news gatherers and editors are “objective,” hewing to the old-fashioned traditional journalistic principle that a newspaper can produce coverage with no bias.
I’ve always found it odd that there’s no regular outlet for media criticism in Albuquerque. It needs to happen now, because today’s transformed media landscape means newspapers and other huge companies aren’t the only one who can make their voices heard. Now anyone can point out that newspapers aren’t always the bastions of objectivity they claim to be.
I believe readers can and should keep an eye on the watchdog. That’s why I’m helping start this media criticism site, which will take a serious look each week at editorials and news coverage from the state’s largest paper.
I’ve asked a longtime colleague, former Albuquerque Journal reporter and editorial page writer Denise Tessier, to help me provide weekly media criticism.
But we also want your help in telling us what you think of the Journal’s coverage.
In that spirit, please check out AbqJournalWatch.com, read the commentaries…. and submit your own opinion of New Mexico’s “Paper of Record!”
Bravo! Much needed! I’ll be helping to get info out about this site. Break a leg!
I’m surprised they don’t print it on yellow paper. Looking forward to your updates.
Huzzah! I’m really happy to see this website.
While it is expected that the local newspaper will feature local news, since the election of President of Obama it is striking that national news and the President’s activities have been largely absent from the front page of the Abq J. Editorial pages are heavily devoted to conservative viewpoints with only an occasional dissenting view. I firmly believe newspapers are a fundamental underpinning of our democracy. This requires allowing a diversity of viewpoints to be expressed. I am beginning to think that my subscription is supporting a single minded political agenda rather than a fair and unbiased reporting of the news.
Great job guys. Long overdue. Now I know where to send my gripes.
Wow ! Much necessary! Glad to see you here, happy to bookmark and am spreading the link to all my friends!
What a dynamite project! You will be doing a great service. Thank you in advance.
Arthur Alpert
Yay! Put the wood to them!
Thank you for this! When the “best writers” a paper presents for its “Up Front” feature include sarcastic sensationalists like Joline Gutierrez Krueger, and the editorial cartoonist depicts every Democrat as a Sixties hippie, and the Saturday car section is meatier than the Metro news, and they rely on the original beta version of Spell-Check as a proofreader… well, it’s time for a blog like this.
I look forward to seeing it every week.
I actually believe that Joline IS one of the best and I think the Journal is lucky to have her. As for the rest of your points…carry on!
Thanks, Tracy.
My opinion stems in part from her comments on a high profile felony case about to be heard in District Court. I don’t recall which particular case it was, sorry to say. It might have been the triple homicide in the East Mts. , but again, I’m not sure.
Joline slammed the attorneys wholesale, predicting that they’d try to blame the victims for their own plight. It was a “this is the problem with our court system; just you wait and see, these criminals will get off” kind of a column. Mind you, this was before the jury was even selected, and long before any evidence was presented.
Once her premature allegations proved unfounded, she never bothered to rethink or retract anything (and as she’s an opinion columnist, I get that she isn’t obligated). It was tacky at the least, and irresponsible at worst.
I was also left with a bad taste after her comments on Carla Aragón and Cynthia Izaguirre, who left their TV anchor jobs almost simultaneously. She (Joline) praised Aragón up one side and down the other, and slapped Izguirre from pillar to post. This might have been thought-provoking if it were based on the women’s journalistic abilities or standards. However, it was all pretty personal: how Carla was so nice and sincere, and Cynthia was phony and plastic (I paraphrase). Haven’t we moved beyond that kind of thing by now? Especially women discussing women? Jane Metzler (a former local news anchor) used to say that she could have done a Pulitzer Prize-worthy story, only to have ten people call to comment on her hairstyle. Anyway, Gutierrez Krueger’s column was simply gratuitous.
Last–and then I’ll leave the poor girl alone: I am fairly familiar with the courts here. Whenever I read one of Joline’s columns on crime and punishment, I go to the folks on the front lines for the real story. ‘Nuff said on that.
I do agree that Joline is a lyrical and talented writer. Her intelligence is obvious. I’m sure you have an entirely different take on her, having worked with her, and I respect the leg up you have there. I’m just commenting as a reader of hers.
Again, thanks for this great resource.
Excellent work and it comes none too soon. We’re starved for media criticism in this state. Even the Alibi’s Thin Line gets rather thin. Also, I recommend that ABQ Journal Watch and the New Mexico Media Literacy Project collaborate (http://www.nmmlp.org/). It’s an excellent resource of information, resources, and motivation.
Good stuff. Keep me informed. Are you interested in some info on ABQ Journal’s refusal to report Brian Sanderoff’s Poll for New Mexico Education Partners?
See poll @ http://nm.aft.org/index.cfm?action=article&articleID=bfb57a6b-cb3d-4d95-a554-74391569203a
Thanks John. I wrote about the Journal’s refusal to write about the poll here: http://abqjournalwatch.com/2009/10/18/journal-ignores-education-poll/