I grew up thinking that by presenting both sides of a story an author is being objective. The longer I think about it the more I realize that it's not the case. Everyone has a point of view on a subject and even if an author does his best to present both points of view, the reader will come out with his own conclusion. It is also nearly impossible, I contend, for a human being to not introduce his or her bias into a news report. Witness the New York Times which adheres to the highest of journalist standards but is constantly accused of being biased by both sides of the aisle.
Recently I've grown more and more intrigued by The Economist which long ago realized that "point of view journalism" is the wave of the future and is one way to distinguish themselves from the pack. From a recent profile of John Micklethwait, editor of The Economist, in The Independent:
It is unashamedly opinionated and when Rupert Pennant-Rea (editor from 1986 to
1993) described it as a "Friday viewspaper" he was perhaps ahead of his time in
recognising the public appetite for such a forthright product.
Full text of profile here.
Today's New York Times profiles the "new" Time and its decision to present more points of view. Seems the idea is not as new as some people think it is.
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