Wednesday, August 8, 2007

San Francisco Chronicle Headed Farther Left?

The East Bay Express reports on the new direction of the San Francisco Chronicle, which has recently laid off a number of its reporters:
After slimming down the staff through recent buyouts and layoffs, the paper, Bronstein reportedly told his people, will no longer be serving up "buffet style" journalism -- simply trying to cover everything that goes on in the region.
Details are a little vague, but essentially the new slogan is: "Journalism of Action." Call it the ChronicleWatch-ification of the Chron: Bronstein reportedly envisions a paper whose staff will not simply report, but seek to effect positive change in the community and drive public policy.
In addition, the editor, who did not return phone calls today, reportedly told his staff that the Chronicle would focus on a handful of "master narratives." He noted five, four of which were local politics, green living, real estate, and technology.
This sounds suspiciously like the Chronicle is going to make a marked move to the left in its reporting. I get very skeptical when I hear terms like "master narratives." In my experience in the academic community this really means, "We have an ideological explanation, and all facts will fit into that theory."

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