Globe and Mail public editor: Is it news or views?
The attacks on the media continue south of the border, but in this country, I believe readers understand the importance of fair and accurate news coverage. What a few don’t really grasp (based on some of the complaints I receive) is the difference between a fact and an opinion. But before we look at what a recent U.S. study on this topic found, here’s a quick test for you from this week’s news and opinion sections on two big issues. See if you can spot the opinions.
A) With an election due a year from now, the Liberal government is facing concerted attacks by Mr. Ford, federal Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer and other conservative politicians across the country over the imposition of a carbon tax…
B) Above all, it’s politically smart to hand carbon revenues directly to people, rather than to intransigent provincial governments.
C) The current carbon-tax systems, globally, are like charging whisky bottlers the penalty for all the DUI penalties cased by people who drink their booze. The drunks keep drinking unabated. … Cap-and-trade systems are little more than complex sleight-of-hand schemes.
The first example is from a news story that includes the reporters’ noting that there are concerted attacks. The second is from a Globe editorial, and the third is part of a letter to the editor.
Continue reading this story on the Globe and Mail website, where it was first published.
Sylvia Stead is the Public Editor of the Globe and Mail.