The Keith Olbermann flap

I have seen a number of people say that we should protest for Keith and against the unfair treatment he has gotten at the hands of MSNBC. I respectfully disagree with this position, and here's why.

As a 'Journalist,' and I use this term loosely for Olbermann because he's really more of an op-ed guy, Olbermann has a duty to his department and to his viewers to remain as objective as he can be. Journalistic objectivity has become a bit of a paleolithic concept these days I know, but it still matters. In fact, it matters even more now that there is so little of it left to be found.

The only way we can combat the FOXs of this world is by being what they aren't, which is reliably objective. I was watching the Daily Show Wednesday night when Jon was interviewing Chris Wallace and he (Stewart) made an important point. He said that the mistake that MSNBC is making combating FOX is in trying to be the same thing FOX is but from the left side of the political spectrum. The problem with this is that it plays directly into FOX's claims that the MSM is left-leaning. The more effective way to combat this would be to provide real, non-partisan journalism.

The people are not served by having one network try to be just as left as the other is right. This is essentially saying that two wrongs will equal a right, and that never works. If Olbermann is allowed to be openly partisan how can we trust him? I already don't trust FOX to communicate the truth. It was damaging to their meager reputation when they gave money to the Republicans. It is damaging to MSNBC's reputation if they give money to the Democrats.

I guess what I am saying is:

Give me someone I can trust! Someone above the fray who is willing to just tell me what happened. Better yet, give me several and let me decide based on something that really doesn't matter, like is she pretty, or does he remind me of my dad.. Back in the day we never had to struggle with the question of authenticity, the networks fought their ratings battles using tools that didn't change the tenor of the news, just the packaging.

That, in my opinion, would be a return to sanity.