FC: More on dealing with the Washington media -- survivors speak out

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

[Will has the right of it. --Declan]

*********

From: "Rodger, William" <wrodger () usatoday com>
To: declan () well com
Subject: RE: Dealing with the Washington media -- survivors speak out
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 15:29:14 -0500

Declan --

It was bad enough reading supposedly eminent journalists and former
journalists telling soon-to-be-public figures not to talk to the press;
perhaps all of them were speaking to potential nominees and no one else.

More disappointing, however, was Brookings' reprise of Janet Malcom's
sickening little chestnut from a decade ago:

"Every journalist who is not too stupid or full of himself to notice what is
going on knows that what he does is morally
 indefensible. He is a kind of confidence man, preying on peoples vanity,
ignorance or loneliness, gaining their trust and betraying them without
remorse."

Brookings in reply says:

"That may be a gross exaggeration, but it has a kernel of truth. Journalists
do want to gain your confidence and its not
because they want to be your friends."

No, reporters generally don't want to be friends to their sources. Most of
us want to air all sides of a story, and do it ethically, without resorting
to the sort of tactics Ms. Malcolm believes are universal.

Brookings would do well to separate the bulk of the craft from
self-described confidence (wo)men like Janet Malcolm.


Will Rodger                         Voice +1 703 558 3375
Technology Reporter                   Fax +1 703 558 3981
USATODAY.com                     http://tech.usatoday.com
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