Gutless rants hurt journalism

[tornado]

But 81--
again, this is just NOT TRUE...

Many editorials, and certainly all the "Guest Editorials" are not only signed with the authors name, but generally also his location, profession, and even address some times.
many newspapers do this in all opinions expressed.

Look at this

http://pjstar.com/stories/032507/OP__BCNMSD0Q.059.php

(and read the line at the bottom)

[GObravesGO1981]

I'm with you...but that example is an Op-Ed peice meaning Opposite the Editorial page. They are just that "guest" writers.

I personally agree with you - but I can see where Luciano and Scouter are coming from. I was just providing the Journal Stars' rationale for why THEY don't include bylines.

[tornado]

In the end, let all the opinions be heard and let them stand for themselves, even the "turd" ones (as long as the language doesn't violate standards).
That's what makes America great. If the newspapers try to tell the people to stop expressing those unpopular opinions, then where will it end?.....not to mention it just isn't going to happen. There will always be people with opposing opinions.
you will not be able to eradicate them.

[Biff]

Letters to the editor are edited for nothing but grammar and content, not the person's opinions.

And as for Bill Liesse, there's no excuse for what he did. But at least he put his name by what he wrote, unlike the people who post on here or any other Internet message board. And when he realized he made a mistake, he apologized for it. Let it go.

As was stated, the letters to the editor are carefully selected. Most letters any newspaper receives never get published. So the newspaper editorial staff, in a way, can select whichever letter they want to show the viewpoints they prefer, or the "intolerances" they want to "expose", just as Phil Luciano did today by selecting only the worst of the worst comments from letters and emails he has received.

And if we should "let it go" when columnists make fools of themselves, then why isn't that advice good for Luciano and the PJS editors? I am sure there isn't a single person alive who is surprised to hear that some fringe people have bigoted opinions. Does Luciano think we should shut down the internet to keep such people from posting their views? He is the one who should "get over it".

By the way, for many years I and many people have been offended by some of what is on TV and in movies that I believe has a negative effect on our youth. The liberals in the media have always told us to shut up, and if we don't like somethiung, "turn it off". "That's what the off button is for".

Again, why isn't that advice good enough for the very people who use it to support the liberal agenda?
The opinions expressed on the internet aren't forced on anyone, you have to go looking to find them. It's not like it's delivered to my porch every day along with the daily news like Luciano's opinions are.

[One rabid squirrel]

As a Bradley journalism grad who actually was getting a 4.0 in computer science before I realized I couldn't complete both majors in four years and that I preferred writing articles to writing code, I thank you for impugning the intelligence of an entire major. Yes there was the old fail at engineering, go to business, fail at business, go to com track, but most of those I knew gravitated toward other com majors, and those who were in journalism tended to be on the fringes of the department.

As for the initial topic, it's a credability issue. There's a difference between message boards like this and when papers begin to do something like to pull anonymous reader comments and publish them alongside the story. If I write an article and screw up the facts, there are repercussions. I get yelled at by my sources, I get yelled at by readers and I get yelled at by my boss (or, if the mistake is bad enough, possibly fired). People respect me less, are less likely to agree to be interviewed by me. But if someone anonymously posts malicious and false rumor and it makes it into the paper next to my article, it is almost as though the paper is lending it the same credibility.

You can argue that sometimes newspapers don't do a great job (and yes, some columnists behave like talk radio hosts and write in such a way as to inflame rather than inform), but I believe there is a place and a need for good, objective journalism, but how can newspapers claim to be the ones who separate facts from rumor and innuendo when they are publishing them from people they don't know in the name of being more Web-friendly.

I'm sorry this is my first post. I've been meaning to register for a while, but I guess sometimes you have to get angry first. I'm not anti-message board. I love reading this one, valleytalk and several others. I just also care about what I do and believe there is a place for it.

Oh, and while many articles on the editorial pages include the author's name, I don't know if I've ever seen an official newspaper editorial that does. Almost all of them have the same list of editorial board members, be it the Scout or the paper I work for now (not the PJStar, in case you were assuming that).

[Murph]

I've been meaning to register for a while, but I guess sometimes you have to get angry first. I'm not anti-message board. I love reading this one, valleytalk and several others. I just also care about what I do and believe there is a place for it.

Welcome aboard.....

[chitownBUB]

Here is one man's opinion that I think many of us on message boards (and blogs) would agree with.

http://widmer-peoria-watch.blogspot.com/2007/03/delivering-news-in-fair-and-respectful_28.html

[ACBL]

http://pjstar.com/stories/051107/PHI_BD66GFKJ.054.php

Anyone see that Mr. Luciano again discredits and disparages readers who post comments or questions.

[MacabreMob]

http://pjstar.com/stories/051107/PHI_BD66GFKJ.054.php

Anyone see that Mr. Luciano again discredits and disparages readers who post comments or questions.

He's such a 'great American'.

[tornado]

I think that the human organism is born knowing one thing moreso than any other thing.
People know from birth how to complain and how to whine.
But Mr.Luciano doesn't think they do and has filed several such columns trying to teach and train us folks the proper way to respond to one of his columns, because he know the right way to whine, and we don't.