A Former LA Anchor Weighs In
/A former LA Anchor weighs in about Journalists sharing their opinions on social media.
FTVLive agrees with this take.
Good point, Scott, about Fox 59’s talent expressing their political views about the college loan forgiveness program. I’m retired after 45 years in L.A. TV and radio, and never once in all those years did I ever give viewers or listeners any hint of where I stood on any political issue. I wasn’t a political commentator. It wasn’t my job. As a reporter, producer, writer (and even a traffic anchor at one time) no one needed to know about my politics or patriotism or anything other than whatever story I was covering — and I always tried to do that in an unbiased way. Of course, back then there was no requirement that I file a stream of personal items on social media. I think that’s a bad thing for broadcast journalism, and it’s led too many people in this business to stray from the field. Aside possibly from angering a segment of their viewers, these folks might do well to consider sticking to the old “five Ws,” and maybe add a sixth one: Who Cares?
As for WXIN Weatherman Jim O’Brien and his political views, it seems to me and a number of others that O’Brien is a right-wing conservative and a Donald Trump supporter.
I get this vibe reading his social media and that is the problem.
The fact that I look at his social media and feel that I know where he stands is not a good thing.
He can say that is not where he stands, but reading his social media a number of people, including myself sure read it that way. Perspective is everything in this business.
I don’t care if you lean to the right or the left, the viewers and I should not be able to discern your political beliefs from your posts.
And, while you might not care that people know you are a Trumper, it reflects on the integrity of your station and all the real Journalists that work there.
Sharing your political leanings is a very selfish thing to do, it paints your station, your co-workers, and Nexstar with a wide brush.
