Requiring reporters to declare their political views?

[AlphaNR]

I haven't been here long, so maybe this has been discussed before. But, do any of you think our news media would be better off if they were required to state their political views? I myself would really like to know where each person stands. I think it would provide a fairer reporting of the news if, for example, when watching a piece by "NBC investigative correspondent Lisa Myers," we were instead watching a piece by "NBC conservative investigative correspondent Lisa Myers." With journalists aware that people know where they stand, it seems as though they'd be more likely to work harder to ensure that their work isn't perceived as subjective and biased. Of course, I realize this would, in all likelyhood, be impossible to achieve, as the fast majority of journalists would probably cop-out by saying they are "independents" or "moderates" or just plain not telling the truth.

[LittleApple81]

1. What THEY think is irrelevant. WHAT THEIR OWNERS WANT is what

is important. And we know which corporations own the media we watch/listen to.

[Union Thug]

2. On a related note, all politicians...

...should have to wear the insignias of their donors, like a race car painted up with corporate sponsors (I know this isn't original, but I can't remember where I'm plagiarizing from!)

[Bandit]

3. Tweety does just that.. He says he is a Democrats and the Republicans

Love him and the Democrats despise him. Zell Miller says he is a Democrat and is giving a main speech at the Republican Convention and is actively campaigning for Bush*.:shrug: People lie all the time so what would it accomplish. We already know they are whores.

[AlphaNR]

5. Right, that's the problem.

Tweety and Zell Miller are both traitors though. Both abandoned the party that brought them to their prominence. I can't believe Tweety worked for Tip O'neil all those years and acts the way he does today. Zell Miller is just disgusting, I was happy to hear that democrats, including James Carville (a friend of his) have requested their campaign contributions be returned as a result.

[leyton]

4. Our newspaper does that for its columnists, actually.

Once a year or twice a year or something like that, our paper (The Charlotte Observer) has each columnist "introduce" himself/herself with a little bio that includes political affiliation and also stuff like favorite movies and religious preference and all that.

Doesn't do it for the regular reporters, though.

[Bill McBlueState]

6. sounds a little totalitarian

If the government's *requiring* anyone to state their political views, or whom they voted for, that's a bit totalitarian.

If CNN decided all its correspondents would have to say something once in a while to that effect, that might be interesting. But they'd all proclaim themselves moderates or slightly right of center, because that's better for their careers.

[jpgray]

7. Most reporters are too stupid to work their bias well

There are a few seriously powerful pundits and bureau chiefs that set the 'conventional wisdom', and then everyone else chases it down until it changes again. We need people who will shake up the conventional wisdom, not reporters who declare that they are elephants or donkeys.