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Objective journalism and an opinion column are about as similar as the Bible and Playboy magazine.
Walter Cronkite
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote suggests that objective journalism and opinion columns differ greatly in nature and purpose.

Walter Cronkite's quote highlights the stark contrast between objective journalism, which aims to present facts without bias, and opinion columns, which are rooted in personal perspectives and interpretations. By likening objective journalism to the Bible and opinion columns to Playboy magazine, he illustrates how the former seeks to inform and uphold truth, while the latter entertains and provokes thought through subjective viewpoints.

Themes

JournalismObjectivityOpinionTruthBias

In practice

Example use cases

In a media literacy workshop, discussing the differences between types of journalism.

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We all have our likes and our dislikes. But... when we're doing news - when we're doing the front-page news, not the back page, not the op-ed pages, but when we're doing the daily news, covering politics - it is our duty to be sure that we do not permit our prejudices to show. That is simply basic journalism.
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