Headline at Axios, with this list from Weiss's memo to CBS News staff:
- Journalism that reports on the world as it actually is.
- Journalism that is fair, fearless and factual.
- Journalism that respects our audience enough to tell the truth plainly — wherever it leads.
- Journalism that makes sense of a noisy, confusing world.
- Journalism that explains things clearly, without pretension or jargon.
- Journalism that holds both American political parties to equal scrutiny.
- Journalism that embraces a wide spectrum of views and voices so that the audience can contend with the best arguments on all sides of a debate.
- Journalism that rushes toward the most interesting and important stories, regardless of their unpopularity.
- Journalism that uses all of the tools of the digital era.
- Journalism that understands that the best way to serve America is to endeavor to present the public with the facts, first and foremost.
Posts
101 comments:
None of that is going to happen.
I particularly like #1.
well!
you can certainly SEE, Why the staff is OUTRAGED!
I had to go looking because there's an inadvertent snip...
10. Journalism that understands that the best way to serve America is to endeavor to present the public with the facts, first and foremost.
Now answer each of these questions as if you were a DC or NYC left wing journalist. Its going to be the same old problems because they can answer these subjectively.
"OFC I hold both parties to account. Oner party is evil Christian white supremacists, and the other is do-gooder socialists. It just so happens that one of these parties does all the bad stuff we need to hold them to account about"
What was the best argument against the women's vote? I can't remember the last time it was in the news.
No.8 is confusing if not contradictory. Interesting and unpopular --- can't too many of those unless unpopular is code for embarrassing to the DNC.
Number 10 sounds like it was borrowed from the former Veep. I suppose anything was satisfactory if the rules totalled ten. I wonder how Bari enjoyed those 40 days on Mt. Sinai.
One wonders how she plans to police all these. I wish her the best (and am still hoping that my popcorn stash will be put to good use).
Nice Memo. Talk the talk - Check. Walk the walk - we'll see.
What will happen when she gets "Trumped"? Bari meet journalism's version of The Deep State. I wish her well.
List is too long. Stick to three at most. If there’s more than one principle make sure they rhyme.
"One wonders how she plans to police all these."
Hirings and firings.
Open immigration is an UNPOPULAR topic
Bari needs an editor.
’Journalism that holds both American political parties to equal scrutiny.’
Refreshing, if true. Maybe she can start with the sitting Republican senators and a member of Congress who were spied upon by Biden’s FBI, possibly coordinated by the loathsome Jack Smith.
rhhardin said...
< >What was the best argument against the women's vote? I can't remember the last time it was in the news.
Women overwhelmingly support policies that make it harder for other women to have children and policies that reduce the number of children other women can successfully raise.
Staff response: "Whaaaaaat?!"
Child safety seat requirements are a female policy priority.
want a recipe for journalism >
how about pay by the word
then double for words taken out!
Journalism that explains things clearly, without pretension or jargon. Still leaves the door open for sloppily constructed sentences which the hostess can dissect!!!
Journalism that embraces a wide spectrum of views and voices so that the audience can contend with the best arguments on all sides of a debate.
I would like to be in charge of this one.
I don’t think they will follow through.
Call out factually-inaccurate information conveyed by politicians and talking heads. Go to actual source material; point out the spin.
Journalism that makes sense of a noisy, confusing world.
Journalism that explains things clearly, without pretension or jargon.
Redundant. Unnecessary.
That's pretty much how we learned to do it last century. I'll be shocked if she accomplishes any three. Hell, if she gets to two fully implemented ones I will subscribe to it just to encourage others.
(FYI for fun I did check and one can get a subscription to WSJ through the Althouse Amazon portal but not the WaPo yet. Maybe Bari can make it number 11 to get her WaPo app on Amazon.)
Journalism that reports on the world as it actually is.
Journalism that is fair, fearless and factual.
Redundant.
Fair is a bullshit word.
She should replace the word Journalism with reporting and Journalists with reporters.
A journal is something a pretentious teen ager writes their angsty personal thoughts in. It would be a diary but that would not be pretentious enough.
Ok the first 5 points are all the same thing with different words and half the extra words are bad.
Thanks Chris-2-4.
That was Axios's omission but I should have caught it. I read the list elsewhere, yesterday.
Fixed
Regarding 10, my journalism teacher, the esteemed Christina D Beeson (1974 Teacher of the Year), would have put a thick red line through the word "endeavor" and make me Strunk-and-White the whole thing.
I'm THAT guy today:
Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that he make every word tell.
— "Elementary Principles of Composition", The Elements of Style
Just substitute "Bari Weiss" where Strunk writes "he" above.
The problem isn't "too many words." It's too much ornamentation.
I wanted to give Weiss the benefit of the doubt. Actually reading this it took her 10 bullet points and too many words to say 3 things:
1. Report truth.
2. Report All sides.
3. Use new technology.
The rest is garbage meant to obscure.
Hirings and firings
The difficulty I see is that she's probably not going to be given even so much as a week to shut down the newsroom. Content will have to appear daily, in quantities pretty much as it has been. So these new rules will have to be policed on the fly, people hired and fired on a daily if not an hourly basis with very little chance to make amends if they screw up, and the content machine will have to keep on extruding whatever it is that she or her hopefully hand-picked and trusted team deem worthy of publication.
Not a trivial problem!
I anticipate a transition period in which it's going to look, from the outside, as if she's not living up to these principles, and from the inside, as if she's losing the battle against the smug wokesters. But maybe that'll disarm them and make her hiring and firing job easier - and maybe they won't lose as many leftist eyeballs right off the bat, since the right-leaning ones might be sufficiently impatient and disappointed in the moment that they don't stick around to see if she can follow through.
A nice list of principles, but a long time ago the public stopped believing in objective journalism. Is she going to entice Fox News viewers, or does she even want to?
If those commandments clash with their number 1 objective, compelling them to get up in the morning, to "make a better world" while impressing likeminded fellow jornos, nothing is going to change. Weiss is just a new pageant announcer.
I desperately want to edit out the insultingly repetitive "Journalism that" phrasing.
This was written for the public more than the newsroom, otherwise such a gimmick would not be use on a building full of writers and editors.
But I like the points themselves.
Didn't Jeff Bezos make a similar declaration about WaPo? Unless Weiss is going to start by firing everybody nothing will change at CBS.
"The problem isn't "too many words." It's too much ornamentation."
Zing!
The real lesson of her career is that propaganda for the rich and powerful is lucrative. In this moment in time, in particular, doing straight-up propaganda for Israel that lives off U.S. taxpayer money, is especially lucrative.
Journalism that involves an honest accounting of the deeds of the rich and powerful is often a much greater challenge.
People who think that Weiss is a journalist, are not looking for honest and hard-hitting reporting. Her readers and watchers are people who want to be spoon fed propaganda. They are not interested in understanding what is actually true.
In fairness, Weiss's ideological commitments have always aligned with her donors. Israel first, America last.
I propose on the 1-year anniversary of these, that we take a poll to rate CBS's achievements on each point, 0 - 100%.
I paid for a subscription to The Free Press SubStack for a couple of years, and then let it drop this spring. My estimation is that Weiss's goal is largely to use the CBS soap box to shape a Democrat Party that she's not embarrassed to say she belongs to (Weiss's wife is a rather unabashed fangirl for Hillary Rodham Clinton as a data point.) From my experience with the former publication #6 will mean forcing the Democrats to stuff their crazy aunts (and guncles) back in the attic while helping the controlled opposition operating under the banner of the Republicans regain control of that party.
Billionaires. In this particular case, extreme far-right billionaires who want to transform the U.S. into a mafia-state like Israel, built on ethno-supremacy, without any foundational Constitutional rights for all people.
The whole show can run as long as the U.S. is pumping money into the nearly 80 year old political experiment. However, given escalating costs, eventually the American public is going to notice. Ellison and Weiss are just trying to extend the glide path a little further for the Israeli far-right (which is basically 90% of the society at this point). It is a lucrative and morally bankrupt racket, but only sustainable as long as these people have access to other people's money.
The CBS staff no doubt said, "Read it and weep." Dang, this is like Hegseth saying no beardos and everybody has to meet the physical fitness standards. And I see it's got our good friend Kaki all wee wee'd up. I do get tired of hearing things along the lines of "It's the Joozzz!" So on that part of Kaki's comment--nope. Won't go there.
This Kak character is just about ready to quote “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.”
CBS's coverage of the war against the Palestinians was already incredibly biased towards the Israel-political point of view. To the extent that the CBS coverage exhibited any critical judgment it was only in relation to the Netanyahu government.
It is safe to assume the bar will be set even lower under Weiss. Not really sure how the channel can even be considered a news outlet under Weiss's management given her track record.
Fundamentally, this move is 100% about pushing a more right-wing Zionist line. Amazing how the politics of Israel have infected even the national coverage in the U.S. American's don't always pay attention, but it is hard to miss what is going on now with the takeover of U.S. media and the destruction of its Constitution and institutions by Israel-first, America-last interests.
She will be so successful that rest of MSM will eventually follow suit. The same people who spin everything Trump does as being bad are capable of spinning everything he does as being good.
Although Trump is a bit "out there" at times, the terrible things constantly predicted have not come true.
Many normal, but ignorant people believe the doom and gloom messaging without actually realistically looking at their own lives.
Around here, gas is down, no shortage of anything. If grocery prices have risen, it is not noticeable.
During the glorious Biden years, eggs un-available, gas a dollar more, dollar store became buck and a quarter.
And, people leaving grocery store would stop and check their receipt, assuming they were mistakenly overcharged.
Aside from predicting future catastrophe, all the left commenters can come up with is "he didn't end the war in one day, like he promised"
Israel GDP - USD540 Billion, 2024
US military aid to Israel 2024 = 12.5B
Or 2.3% of Israels GDP
No, the US is not substantially propping up the Israeli state.
This BS is Qatari propaganda.
How are they going to accomplish any of that within the context of the propaganda they will be selling?
Israel was the favorite whipping boy of the international bien pensants ever since the 1960s,when the Soviet Union unleashed its "agents of influence" against it. We here see the legacy of that, the zombie death machines let loose by a dead state. They still walk among us, perpetuated from generation to generation by zombie fever infection it seems. And its not just about Israel.
This is the Lucy is manipulating Charlie Brown into trying to kick the football stage of the Thanksgiving special…
There was no mea culpa stage, no heart felt apology for the generation of destroying trust with those what? Eighty percent of people asked in those polls.
If you’re encouraged by this, let us know in the comments so we can confidently ignore you…
Lets see if CBS starts calling criminal illegal aliens by what they are instead of "A Maryland Man". Or stops trying the hide their race of black/brown criminals. Or stops with all the anonymous sources giving us the reporters opinion.
We can measure how well Weiss is doing by how upset dan rather and the liberal/left reporters are. If we don't get wailing and gnashing of teeth, I'll be disappointed.
Republicans seem to hope that Bari is the reincarnation of Roger Ailes. She is not. Get used to disappointment.
Hopefully, when they do another of those video montages showing all the MSM TV reporters saying the same thing (often using the same words), CBS won't be in it.
Charles Foster Kane, call your office.
I thought these principles were supposed to be about her leadership, not just about her ability to start things with “Journalism”.
How about
“Leadership that develops the unique strengths of each individual, and guides them to attain goals they didn’t know they could.”
Or
“collegiality founded in mutual respect and tolerance of sharply divergent views”
@Jamie - Rome wasn't built in a day. I don't see the need to turn the ship around overnight. But what do I know?
CBS prior to BW didn't follow any of those rules. Goodbye to Scott Pelley.
Personally, I won't be getting my news from CBS anytime soon in any case. But I think of my mother, who does get her news from CBS and has a very slanted view of the world. If, over time, she is presented with less democrat propaganda, I will consider that a success.
What are chances she gets behind the back sabotage Trump experienced first time around?
“Journalism that explains things clearly, without pretension or jargon.”
I don’t want journalists to “explain things” to me. It’s enough to get the facts straight and not cherry-picked to favor a viewpoint. Explanations end up being patronizing, thinly disguised editorials.
My estimation is that Weiss's goal is largely to use the CBS soap box to shape a Democrat Party that she's not embarrassed to say she belongs to
I agree with your estimate. Watch the old white leftie ladies who used to coo at Bill Clinton coo at CBS...
I bet everyone at CBS would say they already follow these principles. They're totally open to interpretation.
How about Who What When Where Why?
Bari Weiss reveals 10 stick-on doodads that will ornament her leadership of CBS News.
"I bet everyone at CBS would say they already follow these principles.
They're totally open to interpretation.
How about Who What When Where Why?"
Only one person's interpretation matters.
But WWWWW works for me.
Original Mike,
Rome is a fine metaphor, but as for your other one - - there is not a ship in the world that requires more than 8 hours to turn around!
there is not a ship in the world that requires more than 8 hours to turn around!
Depends on which way it's going.
In this case it's going to the bottom.
Journalism that is fair, fearless and factual.
Why would factual journalism need to be fearless?
I wish Bari well. Lots of folks want to see her fail.
Yet another Libtard Manifesto. The only thing missing is the galling arrogance and naked judgmentalism of "Comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable".
Again, I am cautiously optimistic about this. This memo shows why I would not be good at this sort of thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6_eqxh-Qok
Maybe now that Weiss has gotten what she really always coveted--the job of BOSS--she will stop the endless ladder-climbing. But I'm not overly optimistic, as I think she is one of those people (in some ways very much liked Hilary Clinton) who is so obsessed with ACQUIRING power that once she has it, she'll do nothing that jeopardizes even the slightest bit of that power in the shortest of short-term horizons. But maybe she will realize that if you don't do any good with the power your have, your pursuit of it was simply a wasted life (which is what Ms. Clinton surely struggles with every time she looks in the mirror).
Actual compliance with this manifesto will mean loss of DC privileges amongst their MSM peers, relegation to Tucker Carlson level status. They won’t be doing that. Do they’ll fake it until the leftie bat signal shines for them…
I don't see a commitment therein at all. I see enough wiggle room to let a brontosaurus herd waltz through the newsroom without disturbing a single reporter's biases. Remeber, the world actually is... best described by communist theory. Fearlessness is also indicative of ignorance of danger. And truth is now subjective. And so on and so on and so on.
I'd have been more impressed if the new criteria was to report the 5 Ws and leave it at that.
Nice list. Who are the customers for this new news service? If CBS does start covering unpopular topics like federal debt, unfunded obligations, Medicaid fraud, etc, who will watch the broadcasts or read the website? Weiss and CBS will need to convince their customers that these are important topics, right? Does she have a plan for that?
Well, obviously these points will all be condemned as Nazi ideals by the usuals.
#3 Sounds great!
So we’re actually going to start covering Donnie’s worsening dementia?
She wrote a post saying TFP would remain independent. I guess I don’t understand what independent means in the media world. It’s a term thrown around a lot and it’s supposed to be a good thing. But if you’re owned by a multibillion conglomerate can you truly be independent?
Yes, #8 is contradictory. Leave out "interesting" and it might work better, but who is to decide what is important? Presumably CBS is always covering what it has decided is important and should be interesting to people.
It may be a noble list of aspirations, but so was Charles Foster Kane's. Real life has a way of subverting noble goals. I suspect that like Kevin Williamson at the Atlantic or David French at the Times however this ends will be disappointing.
Kaka:
I take great solace in your latent (or maybe blatant) antisemitism. It really is such an authoritative confirmation of my assessment of your moral vileness. In a perverse way, well done.
11. Not typing up fake memos and releasing them 3 days before an election to try to rig the Presidency for the Democrats.
mikee said...
"..I'd have been more impressed if the new criteria was to report the 5 Ws and leave it at that."
And how!
"#3 Sounds great!
So we’re actually going to start covering Donnie’s worsening dementia?"
See #6.
8 -
Perhaps a nod to the big story that was IGNORED by the entire alphabet leftist-Democratic Soviet press. The cruel heinous murder of a lovely small Ukrainian immigrant woman on a train. Her crime? She thought she was safe in a Democratic run city.
David Ellison's first major hires at CBS News have been right-wing ombudsman Kenneth Weinstein and right-wing editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. But his true political views remain a mystery.
Kak picks second anniversary of slaughter to crawl out and diss Bari Weiss. and Jews.
Seems like only yesterday.
The 10 Principles are right wing. The concept of journalism as informing the public, as opposed to controlling and manipulating them, is right wing now.
Which is why I'm skeptical.
“I thought these principles were supposed to be about her leadership, not just about her ability to start things with ‘Journalism’.
How about
‘Leadership that develops the unique strengths of each individual, and guides them to attain goals they didn’t know they could’”.
Why would Weiss give them rules for her? She is defining their responsibilities.
I wish her the best of luck.
The entire staff of 60 Minutes is on the fainting couch and will call in sick tomorrow. Bari should fire every last one of them.
They’ll hang 60 Minutes and a couple other newsy shows just outside the boundary of CBS News. They will not tell you they are doing this…
All good. except #4. "Explaining things" is what NPR does.
They are not interested in understanding what is actually true.
Says the clown who's been daily cutting and pasting Financial Times pieces predicting the imminent collapse of the US economy since March.
Kak Calling Bari "right-wing" reveals how radical leftwing -Soviet Kak is.
"Kak Calling Bari "right-wing" reveals how radical leftwing -Soviet Kak "
He's conservative. He said so himself.
“He's conservative. He said so himself.”
I call🐂💩 on that.
Just the fax, ma'am. Just the fax.
6,7 and 10 are going to be a problem in her newsroom with the current staff. Change will be necessary in either the practices or staff.
#6 is nice, but I like #3 the best. I don't believe they'll actually do it, but it would be great if they did.
Bob Boyd said...
I bet everyone at CBS would say they already follow these principles.
No, they wouldn't.
Journalism that reports on the world as it actually is.
Journalism that is fair, fearless and factual.
Journalism that respects our audience enough to tell the truth plainly — wherever it leads.
They reject these as being valid. They have a narrative, and their job is to spread it.
Journalism that explains things clearly, without pretension or jargon.
They LOVE jargon
Journalism that holds both American political parties to equal scrutiny.
They fundamentally reject this, which you'd know if you actually read Althouse's post
Journalism that embraces a wide spectrum of views and voices so that the audience can contend with the best arguments on all sides of a debate.
They deny that the Republicans / Trump have a valid side to share.
Journalism that understands that the best way to serve America is to endeavor to present the public with the facts, first and foremost.
Again, they reject this. Their goal is to "explain" the world according to their worldview, NOT to simply "give the facts" and let people decide for themselves
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