Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ Clive Myrie blasts 'appalling' Fox News lawsuit revelations in speech defending press freedom

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

As readers know, I draw parallels between media and education all the time, because the two fields are engaged in essentially the same activity, and for the same purpose. This article reports on a speech by BBC News presenter Clive Myrie, and in the classic tradition of slanted journalism, the headline is misleading, the coverage (using words like 'claimed') is prejudiced, and the grasp of the issues not particularly nuanced. But we are seeing elements of a backlash both against media and against education - often from the same sources. And I think there's a point to be made here that there is a tension between the idea of 'freedom of the press' (which would allow the press to report whatever it wants) and the 'objectivity of the press' (which would constrain the press to presenting some sort of factual point of view). And yes, while the ultimate ideal is 'the freedom of the press to report what is true', we also know that truth is the first casualty of politics and war. Can education and media survive in a 'post-truth' world? I would counter with: have we ever lived in a world where education and news media have taught only the unvarnished truth?

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Dec 22, 2024 8:54 p.m.

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