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Salient. Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 42 No. 6. April 2 1979
The Question of Bias
The Question of Bias
Over the years Salient has been [unclear: attack] because of its so-called "political [unclear: bias"]. appears that Tees is in part reacting [unclear: again] this bias by moving the motion. The [unclear: poi][unclear: Would] like to make here is that, [unclear: whoeve][unclear: its] Salient, whatever their political [unclear: vie] point, they will produce a "biased" [unclear: news] paper.
Every person in this unviersity has a [unclear: p] litical bias of some sort or other. In [unclear: som] people it is more developed (ie more [unclear: clea] ly defined) than in others, but it exists [unclear: in] all of us. It is impossible to produce a [unclear: ne] paper that will not be "biased". In [unclear: every] article the views of the writer are [unclear: represe] ted, it is inevitable. It is also desirable.
So-called "impartiality" does not [unclear: exis] It is a great myth that those who wish [unclear: to] ignore what is happening around them [unclear: en] devour to spread. The second point is [unclear: ev] more important. It is that [unclear: "impartiality"] is not even desirable. No responsible [unclear: wri] ter can ignore facts, nor can s/he [unclear: distort] them to fit their own views, however if [unclear: o] tries to eliminate one's personal bias, [unclear: the] suit is an article which says nothing at all An article not worth the paper it's [unclear: writte] on.
Lack of impartiality is not peculiar [unclear: to] Salient however. Read any [unclear: worthwhile] journal, Newsweek, National Business [unclear: Re] view or Beijing Review, they all have [unclear: thei] biases, all the articles make an analysis and express a point of view. To [unclear: analyse] competently and clearly is the mark [unclear: of] good journalism. One analyses events [unclear: usi] one's own ideas as a basis - no good [unclear: writer] can analyse in a vacuum.
"Another criticism, again not from a very large group.....was the lack of impartially in the Editorials, with special reference to the Spanish number. We are glad to state that in the instance complained of, the charge is true.
"The question needs clarification. Impartiality as I see it and as others see it may be very different things. Impartiality seen to be the "summum bonum" of journalisn just as isolation from the struggles of the world was the hallmark of the good student. Both these points of view are the offspring of the idea of "learning for the sake of learning.
"How futile they are in the world [unclear: today!] Of what use is learning unless it be to [unclear: mak] the world a better place for those who [unclear: con] after us? The word impartiality is [unclear: similiar] suspect.
"The idea still lingers that it is the [unclear: futc] tion of the true editor to produce for discussion a painless substitute for the real issues of the day, colourless, odourless and guaranteed not to irritate the tenderist [unclear: skin]
"The answer to that is unequivocal. You will find no such things in these columns.....Salient is not, and does not wish to be, an impartial journal, or in other [unclear: wor] a political Micawber hoping that better [unclear: tim] will somehow turn up."
Peter Beach
Salient it edited by Peter Beach, published by [unclear: th] Victoria University of Wellington Students' [unclear: Asso] ciation, Private Bag, Wellington, and printed [unclear: by] Wanganui Newspapers, Drews Ave, Wanganui.