Should newspapers give endorsements?

[LiberteToujours]

With the big newspapers now giving their traditional presidential endorsements, we are of course hoping for as many Kerry endorsements as possible. I'm wondering what the opinion of people is on endorsements in general.

It seems to me that the media has been becoming more and more editorial and less straight reporting for quite many years now. Newspaper endorsements are nothing new, but to me they punctuate the fact that the media egoheads spend too much time fighting amongst themselves trying to tell the people what to think instead of doing their job. If they were doing their job all year long and supplying the straight facts, people could make up their own minds and wouldn't need their newspaper to tell them who to vote for.

It also legitimizes accusations of bias in the respective newspapers. Imagine if the major TV networks also gave endorsements for president? They could no longer even attempt to uphold the illusion of integrity. I don't see why newspapers are any different.

[depakid]

1. The question really ought to be

Should a newspaper endorsement affect your vote?

In the vast majority of cases, I think even self important editors who think it will, know it won't.

For every vote they try dishonestly to sway, there's another two thinking:

[Media_Lies_Daily]

2. No. the REAL question should be...

...should the media be owned by corporations with vested interests in the success of any political party, because that condition will affect the endorsement of any candidate running for any political office.

IMHO, the various media outlets should be run as independent business ventures free of ANY political leanings/influences. Otherwise, the concept of "freedom of the press" gets kicked to the curb.

[moondust]

3. Only if they're honest

and not a result of bribes or greed for tax cuts or order of the owner/conglomerate, etc.

The less informed sometimes need a clue. Who better to provide it than those absorbed in ALL the news for a living.

[sweetheart]

4. Inheritance from europe

Newspapers in europe are seen as empowered to be activist on behalf
of the public good, and in this regard, are much more journalistic
(which we all know).

The issue, IMO, is that the political spectrum is not represented
fairly by the american media, and like "media lies daily", there is
that problem of hidden bias subverting news... as news itself is
an oxymoron... it is entertainment designed to capture the biggest
market share.

European newspapers take the social responsibility of checking the
power of government quite seriously, and in that regard, endorse
pointedly.

I've only a problem with the misrepresentation of the spectrum.
Like light, a human population will have blue/green/yellow/red light
and similarly liberal/libertarian/conservative/green... so for a
population to be denied fair representation in public media is the
root sin, and i see this as a deliberate attempt by the repukes
to ERASE opposition, not just defeat it... as if their final
solution is to drive all opposition in to non-voting, poverty zones
where their voices don't count.