Thursday, February 23, 2006
The media is sensitive - maybe cartoonishly so
By Stu Bykofsy
Philadelphia Daily News
2/23/06
Excerpt:
Let me stand orthodoxy on its head by applauding the Philadelphia Inquirer,
which a couple of weeks ago was one of a handful of U.S. newspapers to
publish cartoons - believed by Muslims to be blasphemous - that had set
off worldwide rioting and destruction.
My praise for Big Sister is sincere.
The Inquirer published one of the cartoons because it believed its readers had a right to know.
Across the country, maybe five other dailies also printed one or more
of the cartoons that first were published in a Danish newspaper...
Whether or not to publish offensive material should be determined in
part by your purpose in printing it, says Kelly McBride, who teaches at
the Poynter Institute, a journalism think tank. Other considerations
include possible harm that might come from it, and whether there are
alternatives to using offensive material.
If the purpose was to inform, McBride says, printing the cartoon was
not necessary. If the purpose was to make a statement about free
expression, then it was justified.
More of this article...
Search Google News for more quotes by Kelly McBride...
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