The media polices its own ranks

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letter

The media makes mistakes, polices self

To the editor:

I was interested to read the letter to the editor about the integrity of the press (“Mainstream media already has lost integrity,” Sept. 26, A4). The letter writer feels that the press has no integrity and that this fact is abundantly clear because of the many instances he cited in which the press has been dishonest in presenting stories. He is absolutely correct about these lapses in judgment, and I knew about all of them.

And how did I know? Not from any digging on my part or particularly privileged information. I know about them because the media polices itself and writes about lapses in integrity in its own ranks.

Some of these journalists have been “rehabilitated.” Americans can be very forgiving. There is a man serving in Congress right now who “took a hike on the Appalachian Trail” and lost the position of governor in his own state because he lied about where he was when he was supposed to be hiking. The media is not the only realm where a person in the public eye who errs is forgiven.

And, finally, you asked that we Google each of the instances you cited. I would ask that you fact-check instead of Google. Not everything on the internet is true, and sometimes, the first few citations that you get on Google are there because they paid to be there. That’s what happens in a country where the media isn’t regulated, and aren’t we thankful for that?

Sharon Livingston

Greenfield