Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Can Perception Taint The Journalism?

FORMER PHILADELPHIA MAYOR and Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell is among a group of investors who are considering the purchase of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and their website, philly.com.

Is there any danger in that?

Journalist Paul Davies wrote:

"Under that proposed ownership model, the Fourth Estate in Philly will essentially cease to exist as a serious journalistic enterprise. Instead, the newspapers will be viewed as a direct extension of the Democratic Party and Chamber of Commerce.

The intrinsic value of a newspaper rests in its creditability. Readers must trust what they are reading is honest, fair, accurate and the best effort at the truth. There are many first-rate journalists at both papers, and they will try to soldier on. But any real or perceived conflicts of interest stemming from the Rendell ownership group will undermine their credibility."


Do you agree? Will readership even notice who owns the operation?

1 comment:

David Allen said...

Questions regarding the credibility of the newspaper would definitely be raised due to Rendell's past political career.