Is it a Fair News Story if Only One Source is Cited?

Is it an editorial or a news piece that ran this weekend in The Tennessean? The paper ran in its “Our View” section (which implies it is an editorial) a story that included a quote from a source (implying it is a news piece). The copy has the feeling of a news story, but the angle of an editorial. The problem with this type of reporting is that it confuses the reader.

Everything on Firearmstruth.com for example is highly editorialized, and we don’t try to pass our postings off as “news.” But pieces that hide this fact are extremely dangerous, because these have an agenda. This particular piece, titled “Public safety demands state fix gun law’s loopholes,” includes a quote from Doug Pennington, assistant communications director for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

The problem we have with this type of reporting is that it is in the “Our View” section, but includes outside opinion. There isn’t a problem to use a source to prove facts, or make a point. But this particular editorial goes way beyond that. And what isn’t fair is that no other source was called to counter the argument. Nice way to stack the deck. So to The Tennessean I say you have a narrow world view, and worse someone told you where to look.

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