Is the New York Times still reputable?

[cdbeckman]

We cite sources to back us with credit ability. This explains why we almost always cite a source with a statistic: there is so no way we could personally know. So, with the NYT's recent fiasco that I'm sure all of you domestic extempers have huge files on, is the newspaper that many think of as an old friend still reputable? Looking back over your files, could many of your NYT articles be made up? Furthermore, will a judge ask questions about your speech if you cite them? Could this lead to a crazy "my source is better then your source" battle in extemp cross-x finals? I guess we'll just have to see- but lets get your opinions on the newspaper before we all pack our files with it

-Christopher David Beckman
Burlington, Iowa

[mbareddog]

I believe that it wasn't some sort of NYT conspiracy, although the liberal slant in the paper has become to great for me to even read anymore. Sometimes it is easy to read an article and disregard obviously slanted facts, something I do with the Washington Post. But papers such as the Times and the Globe have become so liberal, the facts take the back seat. I believe Jason Blair acted on his own and the Ed's chose to ignore it because of AA, something that has become a problem for many companies, but that's another topic. There have been issues like this before, and I never recall some sort of mass conspiracy to completely report false news (although CNN's daily antics come close).

[cdbeckman]

It was one of the major writers that was caught lieing on articles throughout his career. Lieing about places he had been, things people had said, the whole deal. This isn't just the NYT printing AP articles and taking credit. I think it deserves a bit more consideration then you suggest.

[cdbeckman]

as well, it has been stated that the work enviroment was becomming litered with tension, and that management was abusing it's powers. In fact, for you domestics, acouple of the heads just quit. This is a major fiasco, and while not a conspiracy, sometimes chaos can be much worse.

[RND]

The New York Times is still the best newspaper in the world.

Regardless of any type of scandal, this is still the best newspaper for extempers in the world. I read CSM, SCMP, Washington Post, Jerusalem Post, ect... and there is no doubt that the NYT is the best.

I happen to know the Jayson Blair guy, he bought a house from a friend of my mother's, this was just one instance, he by no way measures the quality of the paper.

Also, the NYT will be keeping much closer tabs on all of their writers. With the editor's above Blair resigning, not only with the writer's be careful, but the editors will be as well.

RND

[mbareddog]

I disagree that the NYT is the best paper anymore. Its obvious liberal slant has tarnished its balanced reputation. The Washington Post and Jerusalem Post are far superior papers.

[RND]

So, basically, regardless of the scandal, you feel the paper is bad becuase it is liberal....


Sometimes I disagree with the paper as well. Trust me, I'm half Israeli, and it is annoying sometimes to see what is published, but there are facts behind everything there (neglecting the Blair incedent), and is good, as any paper is, with supplements of other resources.

RND

[mbareddog]

I'm not saying the paper is bad, I used to read it daily. However, it spins the news so liberally it is difficult to read any longer. I'm not saying it is bad because it is liberal, obviously, because the Washington Post is on the left side of things as well, but they do not spin things nearly as much as the Times and it is easy to tell fact from spin.

[mbareddog]

So I guess what I'm saying is the paper has lost more reputability from its obvious liberal agenda than it has from the whole Jayson Blair ordeal.

[forensic]

Granted, I don't read as much as I used to when I competed, but... my experience has always been that the NY Times is a solid domestic paper. For international coverage, I always opted for IHT which brought the best of NYT and WP. But... I'm really beginning to like the LA Times (maybe that's a west coast bias)

Hands down, though, if I could pick just one source for all news, I'd have to go with the Economist

[RND]

Well while that may be true, that does not make it any less valid of a paper for the use of extempers.

The liberal schmutz can be annoying, admittedly, but there is a reason why it is the most powerful paper in the world.


Ah, how I long to remember the days when I couldnt read, and none of this really mattered. Now, I'm up at 3:30 in the morning, writing my last term paper of my freakin junior year, and sending posts back and forth...


hmm...is it better to be educated?

[RND]

Yes, the economist is the best.


I havent read the LA Times, that would be intresting though.

I just like walking out in the morning and having my paper in front of my apartment...the NYT is the best at that.

[mbareddog]

I'm sure if you didn't live in NY, the Times wouldn't be the best at delivering :) Spending a great deal of my life in NYC, I must say it is hard not to read the Times and I truly hope it regains credibility to become once again the nation's elite newspaper.

[forensic]

I think RND makes a valid point and I'd like to extend it a bit.. Having an obviously bias paper makes for pretty good insight in speeches, commentary, etc...

i.e., reading the syrian times will give you a very series bias suggesting that the good graces of god are shining down on syria. but when the syria times criticizes a governmental policy, for example, you know that there is some serious opposition, either within gov't or outside it.

so being able to say something like, "even the liberal New York Times points out that George Bush is unbeatable in 2004," goes a long way in an extemp speech (assuming that your judge is listening)

[RND]

agreed. <- to the fact that the NYT becomes prestigious again

i now have 5 hours to finish 15 pages

so i must stop this, but its been fun...

[mbareddog]

It has! Have fun on those 15 pages!

[veritasurum43]

Can we really say any newspaper is reputable? I mean to say, no one outside of a story really gets ALL of the facts, and they sometimes mix things up. Not that I am against newspapers.

But if not the New York Times, then what should we read??

[RND]

Well there is concern that I have now with the NYT, although I was so vehemently supporting it before...last Sunday on the front page it said "ain't" :x This definately bothers me...


By they way, I got an A on the term! it was nice... thanks for the late night support...

[xxLusciousZechxx]

I say ain't all the time... :oops: