Comments on: Classic John Humphrys http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:17:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Clifford http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/comment-page-1/#comment-1422 Clifford Fri, 12 Aug 2005 22:40:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/#comment-1422 Hmm..... I think you're a bit generous to them Cathy. I know of several cases (recall the election last year) where several known inconvenient facts are simply not put to a politician, and instead you just get "softball" content-free questions. (As a result, several facts get forgotten or just don't make it to the mainstream, and then we wonder why the populace appears to make strange electoral decisions....as you say "and the politicians get off scott free".) There is a long way they can go before even being within several miles of appearing partisan or biased on a given issue. Believe it or not, but the BBC journalists such as Humphrys and Paxman (see the transcript of the Blair interview mentioned above) are not known to have a particular political preference....in fact they are expressly forbidden from expressing it by their employer. Both journalists were vigourously putting their questions forcefully, but are still regarded by most as impartial. They beat up on politicians from both sides of the issue regularly actually. Listening to a week's worth of the 8:10 Interview shows that quite readily. Thanks! -cvj Hmm….. I think you’re a bit generous to them Cathy. I know of several cases (recall the election last year) where several known inconvenient facts are simply not put to a politician, and instead you just get “softball” content-free questions. (As a result, several facts get forgotten or just don’t make it to the mainstream, and then we wonder why the populace appears to make strange electoral decisions….as you say “and the politicians get off scott free”.) There is a long way they can go before even being within several miles of appearing partisan or biased on a given issue. Believe it or not, but the BBC journalists such as Humphrys and Paxman (see the transcript of the Blair interview mentioned above) are not known to have a particular political preference….in fact they are expressly forbidden from expressing it by their employer. Both journalists were vigourously putting their questions forcefully, but are still regarded by most as impartial. They beat up on politicians from both sides of the issue regularly actually. Listening to a week’s worth of the 8:10 Interview shows that quite readily.

Thanks!

-cvj

]]> By: Cathy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/comment-page-1/#comment-1421 Cathy Fri, 12 Aug 2005 22:07:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/#comment-1421 It's interesting, but I don't think that American journalists have become timid. I think instead they are operating under the false idea that journalism can be objective. Therefore, they are afraid to push issues in fear that it might reflect their own opinion. If they do show an opinion, they are shot down as either far right wing or ultra liberal. No US politicians have had to face this kind of questioning because no "serious" journalist wants to be seen as influencing a story. They leave it to the editorial page and the politicians get off scott free. It’s interesting, but I don’t think that American journalists have become timid. I think instead they are operating under the false idea that journalism can be objective. Therefore, they are afraid to push issues in fear that it might reflect their own opinion. If they do show an opinion, they are shot down as either far right wing or ultra liberal. No US politicians have had to face this kind of questioning because no “serious” journalist wants to be seen as influencing a story. They leave it to the editorial page and the politicians get off scott free.

]]> By: Clifford http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/comment-page-1/#comment-1420 Clifford Fri, 12 Aug 2005 19:38:29 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/#comment-1420 Gordon, once again you're spoiling a thread of discussion with irrelevant matters. I ask you again, nicely, <em> Please, Please, Stop This</em>. It derails discussion, does not endear you to the other readers, and certainly is not going to contribute positively to the issue that you seem to be concerned about. You're a rational and intelligent person. Ask yourself if there is any point to this, please. Thanks, -cvj Gordon, once again you’re spoiling a thread of discussion with irrelevant matters. I ask you again, nicely, Please, Please, Stop This. It derails discussion, does not endear you to the other readers, and certainly is not going to contribute positively to the issue that you seem to be concerned about. You’re a rational and intelligent person. Ask yourself if there is any point to this, please.

Thanks,

-cvj

]]> By: Gordon Chalmers http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/comment-page-1/#comment-1419 Gordon Chalmers Fri, 12 Aug 2005 19:32:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/#comment-1419 Maybe: Rob Bob Bobby Al Rich Johnny Edy will pay me. Maybe:

Rob
Bob
Bobby
Al
Rich
Johnny
Edy

will pay me.

]]> By: Gordon Chalmers http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/comment-page-1/#comment-1418 Gordon Chalmers Fri, 12 Aug 2005 19:29:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/#comment-1418 So Clifford, do you think I can get paid this year, or should I amongst other things, write another twenty papers before Christmas. So Clifford, do you think I can get paid this year, or should I amongst other things, write another twenty papers before Christmas.

]]> By: Rage on Omnipotent » Blog Archive » Classic John Humphrys http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/comment-page-1/#comment-1417 Rage on Omnipotent » Blog Archive » Classic John Humphrys Fri, 12 Aug 2005 17:26:08 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/#comment-1417 [...] Sometimes John Humphrys makes me want to kill him, but it’s good to hear him make John Reid squirm over Iraq. Worth hearing. [...] [...] Sometimes John Humphrys makes me want to kill him, but it’s good to hear him make John Reid squirm over Iraq. Worth hearing. [...]

]]> By: Clifford http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/comment-page-1/#comment-1416 Clifford Fri, 12 Aug 2005 16:40:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/#comment-1416 Eugene. Thanks so much! That is one of the classic Paxman interviews, where he dissects Blair over the case for going to war in Iraq, and I'd heard it back then, but did not know there was a transcript available. Thans for passing on the link! Fantastic..... -cvj Eugene. Thanks so much! That is one of the classic Paxman interviews, where he dissects Blair over the case for going to war in Iraq, and I’d heard it back then, but did not know there was a transcript available. Thans for passing on the link! Fantastic…..

-cvj

]]> By: Eugene http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/comment-page-1/#comment-1415 Eugene Fri, 12 Aug 2005 16:28:02 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/#comment-1415 Hear hear. I've spent my formative years listening to BBC World service on shortwave as a teenager. When I was in UK, the live interviews are the high points of the evening news! Jeremy Paxman rules! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/2732979.stm Hear hear. I’ve spent my formative years listening to BBC World service on shortwave as a teenager. When I was in UK, the live interviews are the high points of the evening news! Jeremy Paxman rules!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/2732979.stm

]]> By: Clifford http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/comment-page-1/#comment-1414 Clifford Fri, 12 Aug 2005 15:53:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/#comment-1414 Yes, DrMAx! Or imagine (more equivalently) Rumsfeld being subjected to this level of questioning. I'd pay decent money to hear that! -cvj Yes, DrMAx! Or imagine (more equivalently) Rumsfeld being subjected to this level of questioning. I’d pay decent money to hear that!

-cvj

]]> By: Mark http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/comment-page-1/#comment-1413 Mark Fri, 12 Aug 2005 14:47:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/#comment-1413 Nice link Clifford - I subscribed to the podcast also. Nice link Clifford – I subscribed to the podcast also.

]]> By: DrMax http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/comment-page-1/#comment-1412 DrMax Fri, 12 Aug 2005 14:38:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/#comment-1412 Imagine Bush sitting down across from Humphrys. Gad they would have to throw the President a personal floatation device to keep him from drowning in his own flop sweat. And of course Fox would start attacking Humphrys within seconds of the interview for not showing our coddled leader the proper respect. Imagine Bush sitting down across from Humphrys. Gad they would have to throw the President a personal floatation device to keep him from drowning in his own flop sweat. And of course Fox would start attacking Humphrys within seconds of the interview for not showing our coddled leader the proper respect.

]]> By: Cameron http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/comment-page-1/#comment-1411 Cameron Fri, 12 Aug 2005 13:42:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2005/08/12/classic-john-humphrys/#comment-1411 Clifford, The US political system would really benefit from a more penetrating press corp. It is amazing how timid they have become. The best format I have seen that requires polititians to be honest and quick on their feet are town hall meetings, especially when they are live on a major news network. Get a mixed group of citizens of all ages and background, and you will get some very good questions that politicians can't duck or spin. We need to see more of that. And thanks for the link. Clifford,

The US political system would really benefit from a more penetrating press corp. It is amazing how timid they have become. The best format I have seen that requires polititians to be honest and quick on their feet are town hall meetings, especially when they are live on a major news network. Get a mixed group of citizens of all ages and background, and you will get some very good questions that politicians can’t duck or spin. We need to see more of that. And thanks for the link.

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