I have a bone to pick with the media this morning.
Yes, I realize that’s a little like spitting into the mirror. But there is something that a lot of media outlets have a tendency to do that I find unfair.
I can confess that there are times when I have been as guilty of this as anyone. Sometimes it takes a while to learn these things.
Here’s the deal. It has to do with the arrest of Montgomery County Commissioner Jim Matthews yesterday on charges that he lied to a grand jury.
I have no problem with that. In fact, I will tell you that if that happened in Delaware County, we would be screaming the news on our front page and our website.
But I find one aspect of the coverage troubling.
You see, Matthews happens to be the brother of MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews. And that’s how several media outlets identified Jim Matthews – as Chris’ brother. In fact some outlets led with it: "The brother of MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews ...."
Anyone else think that’s unfair?
Luckily, we picked up coverage from our sister paper The Times Herald, which has covered Matthews and the allegations surrounding him and the way the county did business for months. They did not make the link. Neither did we.
Chris Matthews has nothing to do with this story, other than the fact that he’s Jim’s brother and he has a high profile. Why so many outlets felt the need to link the two I don’t know. Actually, I do. It gives the story a little more “sizzle” than it would otherwise have.
But this story didn’t really need sizzle. It’s an important local story.
I deal with this all the time, but usually not in a story that draws national attention.
It is not unusual for prominent people in the county to have a family member who for one reason or another winds up in the newspaper. Very often these episodes involve circumstances that are at best embarrassing, and at worst criminal.
I try to examine the story and see if there is any good reason for noting the family relationship in such stories. I don’t think it’s fair to drag parents and other family members through the mud for the actions of another adult. I think those people should stand on their own.
I will admit it’s not always possible. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances.
Still, it has always bothered me.
And it really stuck in my craw yesterday. My guess is it didn’t do much for Chris Matthews’ day either. Matthews is a local guy and longtime political operative and media guy. He knows how this game is played. He no doubt already was concerned about the situation involving his brother.
He probably didn’t need to have his name casually tossed out there in a story that didn’t involve him.
His MSNBC show is called “Hardball.” Yesterday he got a taste of it himself.
I don’t think it was the media’s finest hour.
Yes, I realize that’s a little like spitting into the mirror. But there is something that a lot of media outlets have a tendency to do that I find unfair.
I can confess that there are times when I have been as guilty of this as anyone. Sometimes it takes a while to learn these things.
Here’s the deal. It has to do with the arrest of Montgomery County Commissioner Jim Matthews yesterday on charges that he lied to a grand jury.
I have no problem with that. In fact, I will tell you that if that happened in Delaware County, we would be screaming the news on our front page and our website.
But I find one aspect of the coverage troubling.
You see, Matthews happens to be the brother of MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews. And that’s how several media outlets identified Jim Matthews – as Chris’ brother. In fact some outlets led with it: "The brother of MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews ...."
Anyone else think that’s unfair?
Luckily, we picked up coverage from our sister paper The Times Herald, which has covered Matthews and the allegations surrounding him and the way the county did business for months. They did not make the link. Neither did we.
Chris Matthews has nothing to do with this story, other than the fact that he’s Jim’s brother and he has a high profile. Why so many outlets felt the need to link the two I don’t know. Actually, I do. It gives the story a little more “sizzle” than it would otherwise have.
But this story didn’t really need sizzle. It’s an important local story.
I deal with this all the time, but usually not in a story that draws national attention.
It is not unusual for prominent people in the county to have a family member who for one reason or another winds up in the newspaper. Very often these episodes involve circumstances that are at best embarrassing, and at worst criminal.
I try to examine the story and see if there is any good reason for noting the family relationship in such stories. I don’t think it’s fair to drag parents and other family members through the mud for the actions of another adult. I think those people should stand on their own.
I will admit it’s not always possible. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances.
Still, it has always bothered me.
And it really stuck in my craw yesterday. My guess is it didn’t do much for Chris Matthews’ day either. Matthews is a local guy and longtime political operative and media guy. He knows how this game is played. He no doubt already was concerned about the situation involving his brother.
He probably didn’t need to have his name casually tossed out there in a story that didn’t involve him.
His MSNBC show is called “Hardball.” Yesterday he got a taste of it himself.
I don’t think it was the media’s finest hour.
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