Fact-based journalism is a ridiculous, tautological phrase. It’s like talking about oxygen-based human life. There is no other kind. Facts are journalism’s foundation; the pursuit of them, without fear or favor, is its main objective. Roger Cohen, NYT, 11 feb 2017.
There’s a bar in my neighborhood here, in Paris, just down from the mini-supermarket where I go to buy toilet paper and other stuff that I can’t find say, at the butcher’s or the baker’s or the local open air market. I stopped in this afternoon for a quick Jameson’s and spotted the NYT at the end of the bar, apparently freshly delivered. And on the front page, I come across this Cohen edito. I think the quote above says pretty much all that needs to be said about the state of « journalism » in the US (or any of its proxies worldwide).
If repeating a lie often enough is the means by which a regime legitimizes itself, then this is a perfect example. If stating a somewhat true thing is supposed to give the rest of his edito some semblance of credibility, then he fails miserably to convince.
In the first place, « fact-based » journalism, given the history of the NYT’s plagiarism of USG diktats (Iraqi WMDs anyone?), is one of the more well known oxymorons in recent times. Who, in her/his right mind would believe anything this rag has to say about anything ? Especially if they put shit like this on the front page ?
I won’t go through the entire thing. We’ve all been there, done that. I’ll leave you to make your own decisions. Happy reading …
Once. Again. 