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Jan. 9, 2005 As a columnist for a small town newspaper, my readers expect me to express my opinion on various and sundry subjects. My editorials are sometimes lauded, sometimes reviled, but everyone knows that I write from my heart. If it turned out that the Chamber of Commerce was paying me to write essays extolling the virtues of living in Lynchburg, I would expect my newspaper to fire me. As an editorialist if I don't have my integrity -- I don't have anything. The Education Department paid conservative commentator Armstrong Williams $250,000 to help promote President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" law on his radio show, TV program and newspaper column. In pocketing the money, funneled through a public- relations firm, the conservative pundit aired a commercial on his syndicated television and radio shows featuring Education Secretary Rod Paige, praised Bush's education policy and urged other talkmeisters to interview Paige. Williams neglected to disclose the contract when talking about "No Child Left Behind" during cable- television appearances or writing about it in his syndicated newspaper column. Williams acknowledged that he exercised "bad judgement". When a journalist accepts money to write favorably about an issue, that's not bad judgement -- that's an unpardonable sin. Armstrong Williams is not a journalist expressing his views; he's a shill, a mouthpiece for the Bush Administration. Williams' newspaper syndicate, Tribune Media Services, dropped his column. And one television network dropped his program pending an investigation. After the New York Times plagiarism controversy and the Dan Rathergate incident, the media needs to take a hard-line approach with journalists who act unethically. Williams shouldn't even be allowed to write for Useless-Knowledge.com. I'm a liberal but I frequently tune in to conservative programs like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity and I have even viewed Williams' TV program from time to time. But now I will consider Williams' TV show to be nothing more than propaganda and I will turn it off like I would any other infomercial. What Williams did is clearly beyond the pale, but the Bush administration deserves most of the blame in this sorry episode. Democrats are correct in accusing the administration of trying to bribe journalists. This is not the old Soviet System and the president should not treat newspapers as organs for promoting his agenda. ------------ About the author: Robert Paul Reyes is a columnist for the Lynchburg Ledger. Email: rreyes4966@aol.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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