A questionable role model

I was greatly inspired by Friday night’s College of Communication alumni event, ‘A Bold Fresh Look at the Future of News,’ which hosted Bill O’Reilly (COM ’75) in the illustrious George Sherman Union ballroom. The event was held to honor those COM alumni who are leaders in their professions and communities. O’Reilly, a former Daily Free Press Columnist, was awarded the distinguished award years ago, but returned to speak about his views on news journalism.

At first, I was a little surprised the College of Communication was having a pundit speak about the future of ‘news.’ O’Reilly isn’t a newsman, though he draws the highest ratings for his news network; a network that, in 2003, successfully argued in court that it had a constitutional right to report lies (Google: ‘FOX News, Florida RBGH’), a network that stages its own protests and then reports on them and a network that has been asked to leave the White House Press Corps by the Obama administration.

I suppose that when compared to Glen Beck, Sean Hannity and some of the other bat-poop crazy anchors on FOX, Bill O’Reilly could call himself an ‘independent.” And there’s the classic excuse how O’Reilly fills a void to counter the hyperboles of MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann.’ But it’s strange and sad how the concept of balanced relativity has so dominated today’s news media, along with the forced dualism of liberal vs. conservative.’ The current model seems just like the Balance of Terror that prevailed during the Cold War when Russia and the United States had missiles pointed at each other.’ The only outcome is the mutual destruction of news journalism.

Consider the spirit of President Eisenhower’s farewell address from 1961: In the councils of media, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the corporate-journalistic complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. Or something.

During Friday’s event, I realized that when COM says ‘news,’ it doesn’t necessarily mean factual, objective reporting of pertinent situations and events. And when COM says ‘conversation,’ it really means a sycophantic pandering to O’Reilly, giving him another mouthpiece for him to spout his views and sell his most recent book (whose title was unabashedly used in the titling of the event).’ I attended the conversation expecting Bill Wheatley, a COM 1970 alumnus and the former Executive Vice President of NBC News, to counter O’Reilly’s opinions.’ Instead Wheatley just read his questions as if it were an interview.’ It wasn’t exactly what I would call ‘balanced.’

One thing I did get out of O’Reilly’s talk was that the ‘bold’ and ‘fresh’ future of news is all about sensationalism.’ You may ask, ‘Why is The Boston Globe losing money?” O’Reilly will tell you ‘Because it’s boring.” Don’t keep in mind the Globe’s investigative reporting led to the fall of House Speaker DiMasi, or the tearing apart of City Hall looking for illegally erased e-mails.’ I suppose O’Reilly would rather have them be like The Herald, where they Photoshop a turkey’s head on Governor Deval Patrick and put it on their front page.

So where’s the real objective reporting?’ Because it’s not on the networks. The ‘liberal’ media goes up against ‘fair and balanced’ media, and their petty bickering is what draws viewers to ‘news’ networks. It seems truth is no longer important in today’s reporting.’ What is important are the ratings, which are best garnered through tabloid journalism.’ That’s what I learned on Friday.

I suppose it’s a flaw of the cable news cycle. Instead of 24 hours, I wish they could just stick to getting one hour right!’ To survive, the networks depend on advertising, and that advertising requires viewership. The importance of news is no longer on credibility, or helping inform and direct the moral compass of our leaders and populace. The importance is placed on selling news ‘- to the point where the networks create inane and absurd protests simply so that they can report on them.’ The FOX News ‘teabaggers’ really brought the First Amendment to a new low.

But seeing O’Reilly up on stage did provide insight as to what the professional world holds for journalists.’ Dean Tom Fiedler opened the night by saying how COM is a ‘professional school,’ dedicated to successfully putting people out into the field of communication.’ So, on Friday, we celebrated the field’s most distinguished professional bully. Judging by the accolades, open forum and photo-ops given to O’Reilly, I learned that I too can make it far in this business ‘- all I have to do is lose my objectivity, hyperbolize everything, insult credible guests and stick to tabloid journalism.’ Then, I’ll make money, sell books and maybe even come back to BU to be given a distinguished award.’ What a role model to follow.’ Maybe I’ll make it in this business.’ After all, I started out as a FreeP columnist too.