20 June 2006

Ben Bradlee on Journalism

Last night PBS aired a show called "Free Speech". It was a conversation between Jim Lehrer and Ben Bradlee. I wish more Americans understood journalism the way Bradlee describes it:

Lehrer: Do you think that most Americans understand what our job is? What is it that we do that they should understand?

Bradlee: We're trying to tell you every day what happened in the last 24 hours, that's all. Not what they said happened, not what you think should happen, but what did happen. Readers should expect an honest, straightforward account of what the hell went on yesterday- what's important. What is important.

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