Ron Fournier is poisoning the well of American Journalism.
Fournier's abuses of the public trust have been very well documented here, so I won't bother to re-hash them. What is less well known is Fournier's pursuit of something he disingenuously calls "accountability journalism".
For some background, see these links-
http://dyn.politico.com/...
http://www.cjr.org/...
I'll admit, I have something of a conflict here. I do agree with what Fournier says his goal is. I want journalists to be able to tell the whole truth, and not just be stenographers for public information officers.
On the other hand, Fournier is nothing more than an obvious partisan hack, and is directing the Washington bureau in a transparently pro-McCain direction.
It is entirely possible to hold politicians accountable without resorting to blatant editorializing. It is entirely possible to compare rhetoric to reality without injecting baseless, subjective judgements into your reporting. And it is this balance that Fournier should be trying to strike, if he's truly serious about his intentions.
The problem is that he has demonstrated a willingness to allow reporters to inject their personal opinions and perceptions into what is labeled "hard news".
Calling Obama "arrogant" or saying that Joe Biden "talks too much" has nothing to do with "accountability" and everything to do with a subjective, personal judgement that doesn't belong anywhere near a wire service story.
So why am I worried, and why do I think Fournier is poisoning the well?
As some of you may know, AP Style is the industry standard that nearly all journalists are taught in college. I've had AP drilled into my head in every last journalism class I've ever taken. Because of the near ubiquity of the AP Stylebook, the AP has the ability to define the methods and the agenda of journalists everywhere.
If Fournier is not stopped now, "accountability journalism" will become the industry standard.
All public affairs journalism will be reduced to the base, intellectually insulting tabloidism and concern trolling on display at the AP's Washington Bureau this election season. In short, the AP's Ron Fournier problem will become everyone's problem for a very, very, very long time.
Journalism students have the power to stop this.
The AP puts out a new stylebook every year, and millions of copies are sold to journalism students everywhere.
Boycotting any new edition of the AP Stylebook until Ron Fournier recuses himself or is fired by the AP would significantly threaten AP's profits.
Journalism is a public trust, and the only industry to ever be specifically enshrined in the Constitution because of its paramount importance to Democracy. Allowing a partisan operative to dictate the agenda for an entire generation of journalism students is an insult to the principles of the press, and this country.
Journalism students and professors have a responsibility to stop this degradation of journalism, and hold AP accountable for this abandonment of ethics and objectivity.
Any Kossacks with knowledge of putting together online petitions should send an e-mail to the address in my profile. Any journalism students, professors, or people who can help compile Ron Fournier's frequent hackery should do the same.
A better news media is within our power. Please, let's do something about this. Let's make it stick.