One of the most prized professional norms for journalists, particularly the United States, is the preservation of neutrality in reporting. While the concept of “objectivity” has fallen out of fashion among mainstream reportage in recent years, related concepts that convey a similar idea such as “impartiality” and “neutrality” have come to replace it. In their mission statements and codes of ethics, corporate and government owned outlets routinely proclaim the importance of impartiality and balance, in the sanctified pursuit of fair, unbiased reporting. 

In theory, this can be a healthy idea. Distinguishing between so-called opinion or editorial versus neutral, down-the-middle reporting –“objectivity” or “impartiality” can give the reader a sense that a series of facts are being reported rather than some guy’s opinion. 
The fundamental problem is when this vaguely aspirational genre morphs into an unchecked ideology––an ideology that requires one to think we live in a world where said facts are curated and created outside of long-existing power structures; that those who produce, on an institutional scale, knowledge products via think tanks and academic institutions are without bias. That journalistic institutions, funded by large corporations and billionaires themselves, don’t decide which neutral facts are important and which aren’t. 

“Objectivity” that doesn’t calibrate power asymmetries or attempt to account for its own institutional ideology isn’t a mode of reporting, it’s conservative conditioning that––if not in intent, in effect––does little more than advance prevailing ruling class ideology. Indeed, anyone who’s ever studied marketing or PR or propaganda will tell you the most effective messaging is that which appears unbiased and impartial.

On today’s show, we’ll examine how objectivity came to be a defining principle of Western journalism and how U.S. media’s understanding of impartiality provides an urbane veneer for racism, homophobia, anti-poor policies and other reactionary currents.

We are joined this week by journalist Lewis Raven Wallace, author of The View from Somewhere: Undoing the Myth of Journalistic Objectivity.

Episode 102: The Conservative Sanctimony of Journalistic Impartiality

Welcome to Episode 1 of our new "Black Political Thought" Series! The Good Doctor Reed is back on DPS to talk current events, the idea of "race as caste," and, finally, to discuss a very important debate around crafting an historical materialist account of race an class. 

Slight change of pace: ** The B-Side will land for patrons tomorrow -- catch it by becoming a patron at: http://www.patreon.com/deadpundits **

Find the Reed/Wood debate here: https://advancethestruggle.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/how-does-race-relate-to-class-a-debate/

Follow DPS on social media: 
www.twitter.com/deadpundits

"Black Political Thought" Series Kick-Off (ft. Adolph Reed, Jr.)

We talk with historian and writer Daniel Bessner about Rand Paul, Graceland, international organizations, covid, climate change, and whether or not there is a future.

Follow him at @DBessner

PREVIEW: The Loop w/ Daniel Bessner

Here's an unlocked episode of the Patreon-exclusive series 'The Boney Island Whitefish', in which Boonta Vista's Andrew and Trashfuture's Riley recap season 5 of the extremely ridiculous Bones.  To get the whole series, subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/BoontaVista

*** 

Chapo Trap House's Will Menaker joins Andrew and Riley for an all-showrunner display of podcasting fundamentals. 

This week the brave technicians at the Jeffersonian-Medico Institute for Sexual Harassment are forced to investigate the cause of death of a very mysterious and influential historical figure! Deep respect for the boots of the American empire is sure to follow.

We also spring a gotcha Breakfast Update on Will and plan our future endeavours running a Airbnb Blockbuster so that we can lecture teens about Michael Mann films. Enjoy!

The Boney Island Whitefish in: The Last Blockbuster On The Left (Feat. Will Menaker)

Bonus episodes

UNLOCKED BONUS: The Boney Island Whitefish in: The Last Blockbuster On The Left (Feat. Will Menaker)

The gang is joined by Christian Parenti, who talks about the birth of actually-existing capitalism narrated in his latest book, Radical Hamilton. We open by discussing a series of new cancellations and why this moralistic approach to politics lets institutions and the powerful off the hook. Next, we're joined by Christian who makes a spirited case for revisiting the Developmentalist model of Hamilton's "American School." 

*** Become a patron to hear the remainder of this interview: http://www.patreon.com/deadpundits *** 

Find out more about this book here: https://www.versobooks.com/books/3186-radical-hamilton

Hamilton and the Invention of Actually-Existing Capitalism w/ Christian Parenti

the perfect movie doesn't exi-

www.patreon.com/generationloss

077 // That Thing You Do! (1996)

And introducing, on lead vocals, it’s Scott Walker. Over a six decade journey from teen dream crooner to brooding experimental composer, Scott Walker has explored the dark bleeding edges of pop music with his inconic vibrato and iconoclastic production. And today we’ll be learning all about Scott from a bunch of articles and the 2006 documentary Scott Walker: 30 Century Man.

We’re joined by Matty Monroe, the host of the Indieheads podcast and the MODERATOR of the r/indieheads subreddit. Check out Matty’s stuff here:

Indieheads Podcast: https://rindieheadspodcast.wordpress.com/
https://www.youtube.com/c/IndieheadsPodcast
https://www.reddit.com/r/indieheads

Songs in Order:
The Walker Brotherss - There Ain’t No Sunshine
Jacques Brel - Amsterdam
Scott Walker - Next
Scott Walker - 30 Century Man
The Walker Brothers - The Electrician
Scott Walker - Dealer
Pulp - I Spy
Scott Walker - The Cockfighter
Scott Walker - Cossacks Are
Scott Walker - Clara
Scott Walker - Jesse
Scott Walker - Corps de Blah
Scott Walker - Epizootics
Scott Walker - Brando

And Introducing

#79 SCOTT WALKER (ft. Matty Monroe)

And introducing, online, it’s Rolling Stone Magazine’s NEW 500 Greatest Albums of All Time List! We discuss Rolling Stone’s updated-for-2020 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, talk about the value of lists, the relative ranked-ness of the Beatles, and how our appreciation of music changes over time.

Songs:
Britney Spears - Piece of Me
Beatles - Day in the Life
Marvin Gaye - What’s Going On
Beach Boys - Sloop John B
Fleetwood Mac - Dreams
Lauryn Hill - To Zion

#80 THE 500 GREATEST ALBUMS!

And introducing, on lead vocals, guitar and bass...it’s Mr. Billy Corgan. Yes we’re talking through the legendary frontman and sole consistent member of gen x rock titans Smashing Pumpkins, a person who is constantly portrayed as either alt-rock’s greatest villain or saint, depending on who you’re asking. And today we’re joined by Struggle Sessions Leslie Lee III to dive into some of Mr. Corgan’s most intimate thoughts and feelings about his life and career through the best access we have...his mid-2000’s LiveJournal called simply “BillyBlog”.

Check out Struggle Session at sesh.plus

Songs
Smashing Pumpkins - Zero
Smashing Pumpkins - Nothing and Everything (Live on Pulse 1988)
Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock
Smashing Pumpkins - For Martha
Smashing Pumpkins - Transmission (Live, featuring Peter Hook)
Billy Corgan - Take Me Out to the Ball Game

#81 BILLY CORGAN! (ft. Leslie Lee III)

And introducing, from Iceland, our NATO ally to the north, it’s BJORK. The most famous musician from the isolated northern island, Bjork has built an incredible career and international  fame from her unique voice and genre-exploring, endlessly idiosyncratic music. And today we’ll be exploring all things Bjork from her coffee table book BJORK and a 2004 Bjork New Yorker story called “Bjork’s Saga”.

Songs in Order:

CarlosAndres90 - Army of Me (YouTube FL Studio cover)
Bjork - Ruby Baby
Recordings of Bjork at age 11:  https://www.openculture.com/2014/09/the-album-bjork-recorded-as-an-11-year-old.html
KUKL - Dismembered
The Sugarcubes - Birthday
Bjork - Human Behavior
Bjork - Army of Me
Bjork - Alarm Call

#82 BJÖRK!

Max Collins of Eve 6 drops by to discuss mysterious cartoon memories, predatory music management, the Trolls franchise, rock ‘n roll for children, evil owls, and more all through Don Bluth’s 1992 animated film “ROCK-A-DOODLE”. We also talk about Eve 6, being a teenage superstar, and finding emotional catharsis through twitter, but this is a ROCK-A-DOODLE ep.

The new EP is called “Grim Value” and it’s available wherever music is streamed/sold!

Songs:
Rock-a-Doodle - Sun Do Shine
Rock-a-Doodle - Rock-a-Doodle
Eve 6 - Inside Out
Eve 6 - Amphetamines
Eve 6 - Can We Combine