[Vision2020] What constitutes good journalism (or why Matt is now singing with the Castrati)

[Joan Opyr]

On 18 Mar 2006, at 19:53, Matt Decker wrote:

> Joan,
>
> Your last post had me thinking and I had to overlook what you/I had 
> said. You are right, vera is couragous and says what she thinks. On 
> the flip note shouldn't a newspaper reporter have some kind of 
> unbiased investigative views. Why was she a big part of the Daily News 
> 1 year ago and now a food critique. I would have to think it was 
> becuase of her radical ideals. Yes Joan sorry to say but when a 
> investigator attacks and doesnt think about both sides of the topic, I 
> too would pull her into food duty.Yes Joan I have an opinion about 
> politics. I don't mean like a Rush Limbugh or a Joan Opyr, but cmon 
> babe please take both sides of the story before you assume who you are 
> talking too.
>
> You know you might actually be surprised of peoples beliefs before you 
> assume so much.
>
> By the way I think the term is 4:20
>
> matt
>

Dear Matt:

First, don't call me "babe."  You call me babe to my face, and you'll 
soon find that you're qualified to sing in the Vienna Boys Choir.  You 
dig?  It's not the Tae Kwon Do that'll do it; it's the steel-toed 
boots.

Yes, there should be some sort of attempt in all forms of journalism at 
unbiased investigative reporting, but I know from experience that 
unbiased is an ideal -- it's not a reality.  I spent two years working 
for the largest newspaper in North Carolina, The News and Observer, and 
though I was first a mere Weddings and Engagement Page writer and later 
a book reviewer, I had the chance to watch some of the best 
investigative reporters in the business.  My editor, Michael Skube, won 
the Pulitzer Prize for criticism.  Features writers can and should do 
unbiased.  But Vera, in her Ink column, is not writing features pieces 
but an opinion column.  There's a difference (one I hope our resident 
professionally-trained journalist, Keely Emerine Mix, will expand 
upon).

Also, Matt, without giving away Vera's exact age -- which, in my native 
Southland, is an unforgivable sin -- she is over sixty-five.  If she's 
not out there stumping for an "unbiased" story along with Alexis 
Bacharach and Omie Drawhorn, that's because she's semi-retired.  She 
keeps writing because she's good at it, but Vera does not do what 
Alexis, or Omie, or Dave Johnson do.  She does what Molly Ivins and 
Maureen Dowd do: opinion, opinion, opinion.  She also writes the 
Lewiston Tribune's Food Page, but that's not a punishment, Matt.  The 
Food Page is not a dungeon.  It's what newspaper folk call the 
"Scene/Lifestyles" section.  In my experience, it's kind of fun.  
Tasting, writing, critiquing restaurants and recipes -- the pay isn't 
great but it beats the hell out of working the Drive-thru at 
McDonald's.

Finally, I make no assumptions whatsoever about your beliefs.  You're 
all over the map, Matt.  I suppose I could toss a dart and hope to hit 
you, but why bother?  I'll take the time to explain to you how (a good) 
newspaper should work, but that's as far as my interest goes.  Moscow 
had a good newspaper; it was called The Idahonian.  The Daily News is 
not a good newspaper.  It has become a chickenshit rag with a couple of 
very good but underutilized writers.  One of those good writers is Vera 
White.  Another is Dave Johnson and yet another is Alexis Bacharach.  
All are held down and held back by a shoddy editorial board.  That's a 
shame.  This is a reading town that deserves better.  Luckily for us, a 
couple of papers have begun to step into the breach.  The Latah Eagle 
is getting very interesting, and The Argonaut is positively 
spectacular.  You can pick up the latter for free, and I 
advise/encourage you to do so.  Then, perhaps, we can have a rational 
discussion about what constitutes good journalism.

Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment
www.joanopyr.com