Earlier today, former Clinton adviser Mark Penn expressed concern over the New York Times’ decision to cave to the Outrage Mob and change a straightforward, objective headline about Donald Trump’s post-shooting remarks to something a little less straightforward and objective:
The day a twitter mob can change a headline on the New York Times this paper is truly finished and replaced by a new kind of 1984 Ministry of Truth. The news is now what people say it is.
— Mark Penn (@Mark_Penn) August 6, 2019
But FiveThirtyEight editor-in-chief Nate Silver really doesn’t see what the big deal is. As far as he can tell, the New York Times is just being responsive to subscribers:
Oh, is that all it is?
— [shrug emoji] (@jtLOL) August 6, 2019
The Truth Is
what our subscribers would like to hearhttps://t.co/oD8Uc6SJ2B
— David Rutz (@DavidRutz) August 6, 2019
News is a mutable canvas for the public to paint upon
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) August 6, 2019
NYT: “Just tell us what news you want and we will ‘report’ to you” is one hell of journalistic model.
— Bien Chingón (@DavidSmejkal666) August 6, 2019
So basically the subscribers get to make up the news they like? If they don't like the news all they have to do is throw a tantrum
— Believe Me❌ (@yadayadayada45) August 6, 2019
Basically.
Nate, the news isn’t supposed to tell you what you want to hear. https://t.co/wU70t387uX
— Phil (@philthatremains) August 6, 2019
Except the news isn't supposed to be what people want to hear. It's supposed to be what actually is. Imagine doctors telling you what you want to hear instead of what actually is.
— Fishy Catfish (@CatfishFishy) August 6, 2019
Telling your subscribers only what they want to hear is not actually journalism.
— commonsense (@commonsense258) August 6, 2019
Journalism of Old: Sorry it's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth.
Journalism of New: Sorry the truth upset you. We'll fix it and we promise to do better.
— The Left Ruins Everything (@TheLeftRuins) August 6, 2019
Welcome to modern journalism, where the only news that’s fit to print is the news you want to hear.
At least it is now agreed upon that the NYT is a left-wing publication catering to left-wingers.
— Jack Daley (@RealJackDaley) August 6, 2019
Pretty baller that you’re admitting openly that modern journalism doesn’t have any principles…..
— Will (@Oil_Guns_Merica) August 6, 2019
The mask slips… https://t.co/aVRtT5Otrf
— Nathan Wurtzel (@NathanWurtzel) August 6, 2019
That’s been happening a lot today.
Interesting that a blogger statistician suggests you need to skew things to please the fans so you don't lose clicks. https://t.co/tF3nqkVZCp
— Dan ?? (@danieltobin) August 6, 2019
Woooooooooow. Why should I believe that any polling he does is objective and not to provide the results his clients demand? Hey he is just being responsive to his clients. https://t.co/xGzmGOHu2j
— alexandriabrown (@alexthechick) August 6, 2019
Guess so.
You can't be this intentionally dense, can you Nate? You see the difference between what's supposed to be opinion and what represents itself as impartial journalism on the cover?
— Smells Like Teen Statism (@BlueEightySixed) August 6, 2019
Nate, if you cannot see the issue here, we have a huge problem.
— Rorschach (@TheWatchemen) August 6, 2019
You probably regret saying this out loud right about now, huh? https://t.co/FPzPoRup5P
— RBe (@RBPundit) August 6, 2019
Meh. That would require shame. We’re not sure he has any.
Imagine a world with journalistic integrity.
— mick j (@mfjak) August 6, 2019
Guess that’s all we can do now. Oh well.