Broder Laments Current State of Journalism

Washington Post columnist David S. Broder lamented the transformation of journalists from fact-seekers into "character cops" in the annual Theodore H. White Lecture on Press and Politics delivered last night at the Institute of Politics (IOP).

The speech, entitled "Who are we? What are we doing here?" grappled with the definition of journalism in the age of television and visual media.

"There has been a shift in reliance from the printed word, to that shown on the screen," Broder said.

He said reporting today has become "about as much how to package a story as looking for facts."

According to Broder, this change, coupled with the busier lives of most Americans, has forced the definition and scope of journalism to become blurred.

"Forty-five years ago, it was clear what a journalist was," Broder said. "The search for facts was taken very seriously."

Now, Broder laments, journalists of all stripes have increasingly become focused on perceived character flaws instead of on fact, depth and impartiality.

"The reason that public debate has become so stunted lately, I think, is because of the loss of that informative element," he said.

Broder said he believes the line between a politician's private and public life has also become faded.

"It has become very, very murky indeed," he said.

Broder said, however, that the media should not drop character investigations altogether. Instead, he said portions of politicians' private actions are relevant to their public behavior.

Broder defended this view in four words: "Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon."

He said the cases of those two presidents proved that "character flaws of office can have truly negative consequences."

"There are aspects of political character that are relevant that go beyond bedroom behavior," he added.

Broder, an IOP fellow in the 1969-70 academic year, is also a regular contributor to such political talk shows as NBC's "Meet the Press" and CNN's "Inside Politics."

He faulted the press for often jumping to conclusions and making bold assertions prematurely.

"We were the first to declare President Muskie and the first to declare Bill Clinton finished five different times," Broder said.

Broder chided news organizations for transforming celebrities and politicians into journalists, and for focusing more on personality than detail.

"The revolving door between politics and journalism is spinning more and more quickly," he said.

Still, Broder said he believes that the press can get back to its roots as an unparalleled source of information, instead of being caught up in scandal and personalities.

"Our unique role is to help the citizens of this great republic form an opinion," he said.

Broder first delved into political journalism during the 1960 presidential race.

Marvin Kalb, director of the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy, the sponsor of the event, praised Broder for "fair reporting" since those early days.

The Theodore H. White Lecture, given each year by a prominent politician or journalist, recognizes the accomplishments of the late reporter and historian.

White is credited with setting the standard for national political and campaign coverage.

Said Broder of White, "Teddy White showed how fascinating the view could be on the inside of the campaign."

Past lecturers include political reporter Cokie Roberts, news legend Walter Cronkite, Rev. Jesse Jackson and former New Hampshire Senator Warren Rudman.