Advocacy journalism.In response to your Editor's Letter, "Journalism with a Purpose," in the Summer 2007 issue: I hope that you can give substance to your call for advocacy journalism advocacy journalism n. Journalism in which the writer or the publication expresses a subjective view or promotes a certain cause. advocacy journalist n. . I have subscribed to EIJ EIJ Egyptian Islamic Jihad EIJ Eritrean Islamic Jihad (Eritrea) EIJ Earth Island Journal (San Francisco, California) for a long time, but haven't have·n't Contraction of have not. haven't have not haven't have read it for years. The reason is that the editors seem to think that being an advocate means deciding in advance what position to take and then doing a story about it. The problem with this approach is that there is no surprise--it is obvious from the outset what the writer will advocate, so there's no need to read the story. But it is very difficult and presumptuous pre·sump·tu·ous adj. Going beyond what is right or proper; excessively forward. [Middle English, from Old French presumptueux, from Late Latin praes to know in advance what position to take. For example, in this part of Kansas, there are environmentalists who support wind-turbine power and environmentalists who oppose it. What position should EIJ advocate? I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. , but the writer of such a story should first investigate the issues and weigh the merits of arguments on both sides before advocating a position in the magazine. I would much rather see the writers and editors investigate a complex issue (and most environmental issues are quite complex) and admit that a solution is elusive and might involve embracing ideas that are associated with people on another part of the environmental spectrum. Robert Schaeffer Manhattan, KS |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion