I wrote earlier this week (and linked here) that Washington Post political reporter Dana Milbank was just a little too opinionated for his stated role at the paper, given his intelligent but somewhat nya-nya coverage of Karl Rove’s speech on media trends. I also faulted the Post for giving Milbank leeway with the euphemistic “Washington Sketch” heading for the column. Now a prominent mainstream media writer (not “reporter,” so we’re clear) adds his backing to get Milbank – “a talented writer” who is nonetheless “incapable of keeping his opinions out of his news stories” – off the front page and onto the back page with the other writers unrestrained by objectivity concerns. Or the Post could always drop the pretense of objectivity and focus on publishing thoughtful writing with a strong reporting element instead of covering the most superficial elements of a story to avoid controversy. Can’t have it both ways.
I’m a tech journalist who’s making a TV show about a college newspaper.