Slog: Comment on Reporting Donations

1

Seems a bit blown out of proportion. The idea is that (most) journalism offers a balanced view of the world. Its silly to expect writers to remain completely disconnected from society.

Posted by PA Native | June 21, 2007 8:46 AM

2

Agreed.
I'd rather the journalists gave donations so we could see their potential bias.

If they are banned from giving donations, it's still there. They are not objective robots. Only, we don't get to see which way they lean.

I do believe that facts can be objective facts, but the idea one can not have a leaning one way or another after making a whole career writing about politics is a myth.

Posted by Joe | June 21, 2007 8:53 AM

3

Journalists = Educated
Educated = Enlightened
Enlightened = Liberal

Duh.

Posted by DOUG. | June 21, 2007 8:56 AM

4

Now, we just need to see the results of a survey that shows how much, and to whom newsroom directors, managing directors and editors, station managers, and station owners give to political causes for a fully balanced picture of the political journalistic landscape.

Posted by COMTE | June 21, 2007 9:12 AM

5

Don't worry Josh, no need to make the *shocking* Wellstone disclosure. You would have to be a journalist first.

Posted by StrangerDanger | June 21, 2007 9:33 AM

6

I agree that donations ok but it is good to have them publicly available.

Maybe they should be banned from actually investing in political outcomes, e.g. betting on presidential races. That would be analogous to business writers not being invested in the stocks they are reporting on. Not sure if this type of investing common practice, but I've read tell of it...

Posted by Jude Fawley | June 21, 2007 9:34 AM

7

@5,

don't worry, when you stop chickening out and actually run for office, I'll give you $50 too.

Posted by Josh Feit | June 21, 2007 9:39 AM

8

Cheap Bastard!

Posted by StrangerDanger | June 21, 2007 10:14 AM

9

I'm mostly only concerned when political parties or candidates give them money.

Posted by flamingbanjo | June 21, 2007 10:20 AM

10

When 76 percent of America hates Reds in the GOP - why would you be surprised that as few reporters give bucks to them?

Posted by Will in Seattle | June 21, 2007 1:38 PM

11

Josh,

The TCC Board does not take an official position on the joint ST2-RTID ballot measure until Monday July 9. TCC staff has been working hard to improve RTID, but they began in a big hole. We do not know how the board will vote.

Examples of improvements that TCC staff supported include the following.

Transit service as mitigation during and after construction of highway projects. In the original RTID enabling legislation, transit service was not eligible for RTID funds. The legislative amendment was reportedly written by TCC staff.

There is better policy language in support of tolling.

They supported the struggle of Pierce County activists over SR-704, the crossbase highway.

They supported the good allocation of the $800 million shifted from the AWV project (e.g., South Park bridge, Industrial Way center access, Aurora Avenue North BAT lanes, South Lander Street overcrossing, and South Spokane Street viaduct).

Of course, some may argue that the $800 of acceptable projects is just the bicycle on a rack on the back of a global warming SUV.

Posted by eddiew | June 21, 2007 11:18 PM

12

We prohibit judges from making political contributions and endorsing non-judicial candidates. Isn't the point the same?

Posted by Algernon | June 22, 2007 9:58 AM

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