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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Media Damn Fine Journalist of the Day

Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 9:43 AM

"I know that the whole Bryan Denson pot article is really old news by now," writes Slog tipper Bill, "but thought I would drop a line to say that NPR/KPLU had a story this morning on the exact same topic that was more properly done. If you read the web version it says it’s the 'full' article. It’s not. You have to actually listen to the audio to hear Dale Rogers interview two people on the pro-pot side. Since I don’t read Bryan Denson, I won’t waste my time sending it to him to say: 'See, this is how it’s done.' Much more fun to send it to you to say thank you for calling a crap story a crap story."

"What's the opposite of a Stupid Fucking Credulous Hack?" asks Slog tipper Andrew. "Because Tom Banse's report on public land marijuana farms does what you are always, ah, encouraging reporters to do: checks in with the other side, questions the utility of the whole prohibition thing. Here's the link. They teased it on the radio by framing the whole report as "Do these raids even work?"

I'm riding light rail to the airport right now and can't listen to Banse's story. But Sloggers are invited to listen. And if Tom Banse got it right—if he was fair, if he was balanced, if he wasn't phoning in yet another drug-war-propaganda story dressed up in the drag of journalism—you can show Tom some love and shower him with praise by emailing him here (and CC me).

For the record: Back in June Banse's colleague Anna King was named Stupid Fucking Credulous Hack of the Day for her "reporting" on a grow-op bust. That SFCH lead famously lead to this dustup and, of course, the usual handwringing from the sensitivos who think I'm too mean. But as Dom and I pointed out when we launched SFCH, we tried nice. We tried polite. We tried reason. None of it worked. Nice didn't seem to get the attention of any of the reporters covering grow-op busts. SFCH on other hand...

Comments (13) RSS

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Just followed the links and, unless I missed something, the transcript provided did cover the "full story".

It wasn't hysterical and he did interview a spokesman from NORML but not the two pro-pot activists that your tipster claims.

And there is a disturbing and unchallenged assertion that these operations are the work of "illegal" Mexican immigrants - racist fear-mongering anyone?

Posted by alice in canada-land on October 14, 2009 at 10:18 AM

it's really quite simple
(as are minds at The Stranger)...

Praise Pot- you're a fine fellow

Not a Pot Fanboy?- damn hack!

questions?

Posted by One Toke over the Line on October 14, 2009 at 10:27 AM

AICL,
i'll admit i blew 2 pro sources comment...sorry about that. but i would assert that a person from NORML, lee newbury would be a "pro-pot person." i will also agree that adding "illeagal" to the generalized ethnicity of growers could could have been done better. i think my point was, at least the other side was given a vote.

Posted by billardbb on October 14, 2009 at 10:37 AM

We never asked for pro-pot screeds, all we've asked for is ONE DAMN QUOTE from someone on the other side. If Banse came through with that, then he's today's DFJ.

Posted by Dan Savage on October 14, 2009 at 10:42 AM

3
a voice from out of thin air?

Posted by damn anonymous trolls... on October 14, 2009 at 10:43 AM

Here's a novel concept: instead of worrying about what other papers write about, why doesn't the Stranger get its own News Departm-- oh, right.

Carry on.

Posted by novelideal on October 14, 2009 at 10:46 AM

@4

Wait- what?

Posted by Clueless in Seattle on October 14, 2009 at 10:46 AM

I know, right?

Posted by Dan Savage on October 14, 2009 at 10:47 AM

@6

We have one!

We call it the Dept. of Unsubstantiated Rumor...

Posted by Truth is The Stranger than Fiction on October 14, 2009 at 10:50 AM

I just listened to the whole thing: Banse came through with a quote from other side, and actually presented both sides of the story.

DFJ

Posted by mao on October 14, 2009 at 11:36 AM

A more effective thing is to make an online pledge to KPLU specifically stating it's because of his fine reporting.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on October 14, 2009 at 11:41 AM

Yea, Tom Banse! Yea, Paula Wissel! Yea, Bellamy Pailthorp! Yea, Liam Moriarty! Yea, Keith Seinfeld! Yea, Erin Hennessey!

The news organization at KPLU is the finest in the Northwest. I don't even turn local TV news on anymore because I get all the info I need from KPLU and NPR without the blow-dried news mannequins, without the cutesy stories, without "if it bleeds, it leads," and without the accompanying disgust.

The Stranger's news department does a great and admirable job considering its budget.

Posted by Bauhaus I on October 14, 2009 at 2:13 PM

@3

Sorry - I realised after I posted that it seemed like I had suggested there was no pro-pot opinion presented. It was great to hear Newberry. But one quote from him in a sea of busting the grow-ops info didn't seem to me to be "presenting both sides".

And mentioning the ethnicity of the growers (and NOT challenging that assertion) smacks of racism to me - never mind the "illegal" comment.

That said - I do realise that I live in Canada, where there is slightly less hysteria about pot use, and balanced reporting in general is less rare. So I'm glad this Banse did a better job than most.

Posted by alice in canada-land on October 14, 2009 at 6:08 PM