Politics and Carson Now
Since a lot of people in Carson City know me from my political column that ran for four years in the Nevada Appeal, many asked if Carson Now would follow along the same philosophical slant.
The answer is no. But is Carson Now an "objective" news source? No way.
As someone who enjoys politics and has friends all over the political spectrum, I set out to make Carson Now open to all viewpoints. Anyone can sign up for an account and write whatever they want, subject only to keeping the content PG rated so as not to offend our younger viewers.
The unlimited space of the Internet gives Carson Now the freedom to host all of these viewpoints together in one place, and move us away from the scourge of "objective" journalism.
In the past, local newspapers were very partisan, which was OK since there were multiple papers in most cities, and you could pick whatever one fit your politics. But then newspapers found out they could make more money by being "objective" and taking over monopoly control of their circulation areas.
Many of my fellow journalists will disagree, but I think this so-called objectivity is a farce that created a lot of bad journalism that was either bland or focused on he-said/she-said stories.
I also look at it as dishonest journalism. Everyone has their biases, including reporters. Under the objective journalism regime, reporters are supposed to hide their biases. And while most try to be "objective," there are always subtle slants to stories, avenues not explored, assumptions made, reliance on "official" sources.
One of the best illustrations for me of this is my own history of working with several very good journalists who cover state politics in Nevada. Their stories might be good, but I can find out the real scoop by talking to them, when they don't have to hide their biases. None of them want people to guess their biases, so they often overcompensate to one side or the other, and the he-said/she-said stuff covers up what is really happening. Some of the stories they tell me in person are shockingly different from what the public sees.
This is a real shame. Basically, journalists aren't able to tell you everything they know because of the limitations of "objective" journalism.
I want to change that with Carson Now. Sure, you may see stories written here in an objective style, but we are also open to any side who wants to add their spin. We want an open debate on the issues of the day, where people can see all sides, not just what one person calls an "objective" report.
So have at it. Feel free to start an account and add your own views. And let me know if you need help with anything.