Word: reston
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...Reston has come up with a series of valid criticisms and suggestions for the readjustment of the press to present-day realities and challenges, but I think it is necessary to sound a note of caution concerning such a fundamental change in the "fourth branch of government." Reston has failed to answer one of the obvious questions which emerges after reading his bold suggestions. Where does one draw the line between educational analysis in newspapers and mere propaganda...
Foreign policy has become a matter of such over-whelming importance that Reston obviously feels the people must be given a list of multiple choice policies in order to come up with an objective decision. But doesn't the harsh reality remain that the news and the analysis is only as good as the reporter? Before we start giving analysis a more prominent role in our newspapers, we should make sure that those doing the analyzing are up to the task, because it would appear that they would be taking over the reflective duties with which intelligent newspaper readers...
...Reston's plea for more subjective, long-range thinking invites dangers which straight news reporting avoids. There are probably hundreds of myopic reporters all over the country who are itching to outline in their news stories their concept of what foreign policy should be. Reston's case studies would have to be censored by an intelligent editor in order to bring the readers an accurate version of what the options open to the Administration really...
...Reston is right in thinking that foreign affairs reporting is often sensationalistic and short-sighted, but that is no reason to advocate a style of writing half way between reporting and analyzing. The confusion which would result from this half and half formula would be that readers would be unsure as to what was fact and what was opinion...
...Reston has taken the crucial step in identifying the disease--lack of perspective in the press. He has outlined suggestions for future experiments in reporting the news. Now it is up to the papers...