Heather Mallick controversy shows bias of certain media
I've been reading all the recent news stories and blogs regarding Heather Mallick's attack on Sarah Palin with interest.
I have to admit that I had never paid much attention to Ms. Mallick before her recent CBC.ca blog on Ms. Palin and the Republican convention. However, a visit to her website at www.heathermallick.ca really opened my eyes to what she wants to achieve with her writings. You should visit the website yourself.
No. I'm not going to attack Ms. Mallick and her blog nor am I going to agree with what she says. This is not a blog about politics.
What I do want to point out is that it is always important to realize how bias media can be.
In journalism school, some professors will preach the need to be objective when a journalist is doing his or her job. This is a noble goal but obviously something that is unrealistic and becoming even more out of reach. Case in point, the attack on Ms. Mallick by Fox News shows how the distinction between 'news' and 'opinion' is becoming even more blurred today. There is no question about the fact that presenting Ms. Mallick's column as news Americans should care about only exposes how Fox News wants to encourage people to have sympathy for the Republican Party and its leaders. Allowing Ms. Mallick to rant also only underscores how left wing the CBC is.
News media organizations are businesses and every business wants to connect with what it believes to be its customer. This truth will always influence who news media organizations allow to contribute to their product, how they presents themselves and how they relate with the public.
The news media definitely has bias and the Heather Mallick controversy proves that point.
Mark Taylor is a columnist, former freelance correspondent for The Globe and Mail and founder of Fredericton-based communications company Delora Media. Visit Delora Media at www.deloramedia.com
Delora Media is hosting a variety of seminars this fall starting with a 'Marketing with little or no money' seminar taking place on September 22nd.
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Mallick however is a case unto her own. The Palin story is just one example. She's been spouting vitriol for years which she is free to do but should taxpayers be paying for it? That's what she has Rabble for.
Thanks for the column Mark. At the very least the controversy has opened up some debate about Mallick and her "style".
Fox News is the black sheep of US big media, the only right-wing TV station in a sea of left-wingness. To use them as an example of "the media" is disinformation, plain and simple.
But what else do you expect from a guy writing for the G&M? Mark, the majority of Canadians think that Harper is the best leader currently. Surely, our collective wisdom must at least match yours. When was the last time you wrote something positive about him?