Props to Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz for chiding campaign reporters who regurgitate stinging, anonymous quotes. He’s got a scad of good examples, where the sources in question aren’t exactly disinterested parties or valiant whistle blowers in need of press protection. They’re campaign hacks out for flesh, and unless there’s an honest reason to shelter them, journalists should make them do their dirty work in public.
The Kicker — December 17, 2007 12:55 PM
Howie’s Got This One Right
Subscribe to the Columbia Journalism Review at our special Web rates.
Blog
The Kicker last updated: Tue 4:43 PM
- Harlan Ellison says: ‘Pay the damn writer!’
- Pew on Gingrich’s Receding Storyline
- Dana Milbank Was Right
- Rebecca MacKinnon discusses new book Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle for Internet Freedom
- RIP: Jonathan “Jack” Idema, Media Con Man
Desks
The Audit Business
- BusinessWeek Goes Inside a Critical Hacking Scandal Meeting Murdoch, at a fork in the road, chose the coverup
- Audit Notes: Off the Hamster Wheel, The Dumb Money, iPad Newspapers
The Observatory Science
- What Drives Public Opinion About Climate Change? Politicians, economy more influential than media coverage, study says
- The Presidential Energy Narrative Campaign coverage takes on a green hue
Campaign Desk Politics & Policy
- Some Mistakes at MoneyWatch A little more homework needed on Social Security, please
- It’s Caucus Day in Colorado: Where’s the Content? Campaign presented as theater in the Denver Post


Recent Comments
-
padikiller on
What Drives Public Opinion About Climate Change?
(13)
-
Jackie Najalack on
Park Slope Pundits Get the Story Wrong
(6)
-
Peteykins on
Harlan Ellison says: 'Pay the damn writer!'
(1)
-
Harris Meyer on
Some Mistakes at MoneyWatch
(2)
-
Edward Ericson Jr. on
Audit Notes: Payment Protection, Greek Austerity, Inflation Bugaboo
(4)
-
dwl on
Stories I'd Like to See
(1)
-
Mark Richard on
Bad Math From the WSJ Opinion Pages
(10)
-
Dan A. on
Nevada GOP Shows How Not to Conduct a Caucus
(2)
More