Medios y política, la autobiografía del Principe de las Tinieblas

... I also wrote profiles of legislators. One I remember was a retired farmer named William Purdy, serving his first and only two-year term as the representative from Norfolk. I think I was the only reporter to interview him. Purdy was a cipher, but he was a cipher on purpose. He had campaigned for the unicameral on these pledges: to serve only one term, to make no speeches on the floor, to introduce no bills, to vote against each and every bill to increase taxes or expand government. He faithfully kept all these promises...

Aquí un párrafo del libro que estoy leyendo, The Prince of Darkness de Robert Novak.

Hace algunos días falleció el autor, uno de los periodistas más influyentes de los Estados Unidos en los últimos 50 años. En su autobiografía, The Prince of Darkness, relata como fue subiendo en el escalafón de los medios norteamericanos y sus percepciones en torno al poder y la política norteamericana.

Respeto a los periodistas que ponen sobre la mesa su filosofía política y la informan a los lectores. Una práctica, sin duda, extraordinaria (no porque sea 'excelente' sino porque no es ordinaria).

...I am proud of my journalistic philosophy -to tell the world things people do not want me to reveal, to advocate limited government, economic freedom, and astrong, prudent America- and to have fun doing it. For the sober-sided younger generations of journalists, having fun may seem unserious. But it was the kind of journalism that prevailed when I started. I has a terrific time fulfilling all my youthful dreams and at the same time making life miserable for hypocritical, posturing politicians and, I hope, performing a service for my country...

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Publicación de un obituario

La familia del Senador Edward Kennedy anunció la muerte del legislador aproximadamente a las 12:20 AM (hora de México) del miércoles 26 de agosto. Un par de horas después, agencias de noticias ya habían subido a sus páginas un obituario muy extenso con citas de amistades, familiares, analistas y políticos.

De ahí la pregunta, ¿con cuanta anticipación preparan los periódicos los obituarios?

Slate responde aquí.

De la respuesta se desprende este párrafo:

It depends on the person. The vast majority of obituaries are written after someone dies, not before. But news organizations prepare so-called "advancers" in one of three situations: The subject is so famous that the paper would be embarrassed not to have an immediate package in the event of an untimely death; the subject is old or sick; or the subject is "at risk"—i.e., he's a drug addict or a stunt biker. The first category is rarified: world leaders such as Barack Obama or Gordon Brown. The second category includes Sen. Kennedy and other figures over the average life expectancy of 75 or 80. (Even before Kennedy announced that he had brain cancer in May 2008, newspapers were preparing obituary packages.) Likewise, The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer had an obit ready for Pope John Paul II a full two years before his death. Into the third category fall stars like Michael Jackson and Britney Spears. When Jackson died at 50, the Los Angeles Times already had an obituary ready because he had a spotty health record. In 2008, when Spears' antics were regularly featured in the tabloids, the Associated Press prepared her obituary despite the fact that she was only 26 years old.

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Una prueba que en el verano no es fácil encontrar noticias interesantes

No es un secreto que entre la segunda quincena de julio y la primera de agosto el mundo de las noticias se torna un poco más lento. Esto porque los que 'hacen' y 'reportan' las noticias toman sus vacaciones y de alguna manera los periódicos y los noticieros tienen que llenar el espacio.

Pero esto parecería ser una exageración: MSNBC, una de las cadenas de televisión por cable más importante en los Estados Unidos, dedicó dos segmentos en sus noticieros al nuevo peinado de la Senadora Hillary Clinton.

El análisis del 'nuevo look' de la Senadora no fue tan superficial como podría pensarse. Aparentemente ahora se peina hacia la derecha (mientras que en su campaña se peinaba hacia la izquierda). ¿Es esta una señal política?

"All right, if fashion -- as far as hairdos go -- isn't your forte, Clinton's hair is apparently shorter than it used to be, and she's shifted her part from the left side to the right side."

Aquí la fuente y aquí un video relacionado a la transmisión:



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El New York Times respalda a Hillary Clinton y John McCain

El día de hoy, el New York Times anuncia su respaldo a Hillary Clinton y a John McCain para ganar las candidaturas de los partidos Demócrata y Republicano, respectivamente.

A diferencia de nuestro país, es común que la prensa escrita en los Estados Unidos respalde públicamente a precandidatos y candidatos. El respaldo se limita a un posicionamiento en la página editorial y no influye en la manera en que los diarios reportan a los candidatos a un cargo. Sin duda una práctica interesante y, en mi opinión, democrática.


Aquí el editorial donde explican su apoyo a Hillary Clinton. Resalto dos párrafos:

It is unfair, especially after seven years of Mr. Bush’s inept leadership, but any Democrat will face tougher questioning about his or her fitness to be commander in chief. Mrs. Clinton has more than cleared that bar, using her years in the Senate well to immerse herself in national security issues, and has won the respect of world leaders and many in the American military. She would be a strong commander in chief.

Domestically, Mrs. Clinton has tackled complex policy issues, sometimes failing. She has shown a willingness to learn and change. Her current proposals on health insurance reflect a clear shift from her first, famously disastrous foray into the issue. She has learned that powerful interests cannot simply be left out of the meetings. She understands that all Americans must be covered — but must be allowed to choose their coverage, including keeping their current plans. Mr. Obama may also be capable of tackling such issues, but we have not yet seen it. Voters have to judge candidates not just on the promise they hold, but also on the here and now.

Aquí el editorial donde explican su apoyo a John McCain. Resalto dos párrafos.

We have strong disagreements with all the Republicans running for president. The leading candidates have no plan for getting American troops out of Iraq. They are too wedded to discredited economic theories and unwilling even now to break with the legacy of President Bush. We disagree with them strongly on what makes a good Supreme Court justice.

Still, there is a choice to be made, and it is an easy one. Senator John McCain of Arizona is the only Republican who promises to end the George Bush style of governing from and on behalf of a small, angry fringe. With a record of working across the aisle to develop sound bipartisan legislation, he would offer a choice to a broader range of Americans than the rest of the Republican field.