Letter: Student suggests questioning media coverage

To the Cigar,Allow me to start out by saying this column is not to attempt to influence your opinion in the upcoming election. Today the line between reporter and commentator has become clouded by some writers' attempts to use their reporting to influence our opinions on topics.

Journalism should be used to inform the general public in an unbiased manner. It is becoming more and more difficult to find unbiased journalism in this country, to the degree that I find my news on the BBC. Is it right that I have to go to a foreign news agency to get unbiased news reporting? I have been watching the reporting on TV and listening to the radio about the upcoming election. In making a decision about such important matters, I like to be well informed. So watching Charles Gibson interview Sarah Palin was a necessity. While I watched the interview something seemed amiss. Palin did not seem like the person who had lit up the Republican National Convention. She seemed lost.

The next morning, I was listening to the radio (630 AM) and was surprised to find out that other listeners were as confused as I was. On my ride home every evening around, I listen to Dan Yorke, who for those of you who do not know, is on 630AM around 5 p.m. every night. As I listened, Mr. Yorke was very upset about something.

At first I was not sure what, but as I later found out, was the Sarah Palin interview. Mr. Yorke was upset because the interview had been cut due to time constraints. This is common in most interviews. However, the manner of the cuts is disturbing. ABC cut the answers at crucial spots.

There were two showings of the interview, one at 6 p.m. and the other at 11 p.m. It is common to show interviews that are popular twice. However, Mr. Yorke watched the 6 p.m. version and his assistant the 11 p.m. version. While talking, they realized they saw two different interviews. Mr. Yorke felt the same way that I did - Mrs. Palin seemed somewhat lost. His assistant, however, felt that she answered the questions properly.

Mr. Yorke did some research and found some major differences in the actual answers and the interview aired on TV. After hearing some of the differences, I became very curious and did some research on my own. What I found both surprised and concerned me. Given below is an example of what was on TV and what really took place. The text in parenthesis is what was left out of the TV interview.

GIBSON: Have you ever met a foreign head of state?

(PALIN: There in the state of Alaska, our international trade activities bring in many leaders of other countries.)

(GIBSON: And all governors deal with trade delegations.)

(PALIN: Right.)

(GIBSON: Who act at the behest of their governments.)

(PALIN: Right, right.)

(GIBSON: I'm talking about somebody who's a head of state, who can negotiate for that country. Ever met one?)

PALIN: I have not and I think if you go back in history and if you ask that question of many vice presidents, they may have the same answer that I just gave you. But, Charlie, again, we've got to remember what the desire is in this nation at this time. It is for no more politics as usual and somebody's big, fat resume maybe that shows decades and decades in that Washington establishment, where, yes, they've had opportunities to meet heads of state . (these last couple of weeks . it has been overwhelming to me that confirmation of the message that Americans are getting sick and tired of that self-dealing and kind of that closed door, good old boy network that has been the Washington elite.)

I do not bring this forth for an attack on either party. I merely felt it was my civic duty that for all interested in this election and those who wish to be well informed to know this information.

After watching this interview and then reading what really happened I began to ask myself, is this what I expect as an American of journalism? Should I be outraged that to find out what a candidate in a very important election has to say, I have to go and do the research online? Should our news have a political agenda? I have asked the questions to myself, now it is your turn.

Bryan Stachurski