Bad journalism is bad journalism.

Any journalistic enterprise that can get played by two different antagonists over the same issue (first by Islamist radicals who seek destabilization, second by the White House) is not really serious. (Still shocked Adrian fully backs them on this.)

From where I stand, I don't know whether the formula for anonymous sources need to be tweaked or not. But I do believe that editorship in journalism today is embarassingly sloppy.

From CBS News to the NYT to Newsweek, the energy that has driven journalism has been a bottom line that promoted controversy toward more notoriety and sales. That energy has ridden on the coattails of public trust, and after a while the free ride must end.

It does not end with bias, which is where the debators usually think it does. Bias is okay, except in the absence of integrity and accountability. I find very little cross checking on the part of writers. I find that much of the press amounts to gossip and salacious 'inside sources.' It is so obvious that the mainstream wants what Drudge has had -- if Drudge had the item about the Koran, would anyone have really noticed?

No, because Drudge hasn't ever really sold itself as a source edited for content. That is part of its shtick. But the mainstream guys? People are supposed to believe what is in these newscasts and publications.

The editors are in effect serving two masters. The more the mainstream tries to add edge to attract a dwindling audience, the more they get away from the people who tuned out to begin with, and the more open it leaves itself to attacks on its pretense of integrity. It is a sad stupid joke, and Newsweek is sitting atop the pinnacle right now because they couldn't even figure out how they wanted to tell the story of the Koran being flushed down the toilet. Nobody paid attention to ascribing any meaning to this story, and left it to politically motivated other entities to do it for them. Journalism in general has been trying to foist off responsibility for its content, and I am glad to see people and organizations screwed for it.


As for the ensuing murders, well. What can I say? It's infreakingsane.

There's more outrage in the Muslim world over these (which turned out to be false) allegations regarding the Koran then there was over Arabs butchering and oppressing Arabs for the decades.

I respect people of Faith, Muslims included. I have a hard time working up much concern for morons.