Just yesterday, I critiqued a Fort Worth Star-Telegram story on abortion that — in its headline and lede — favored the pro-choice side.
In that post, I pointed readers toward the classic 1990 Los Angeles Times series — written by the late David Shaw — that exposed rampant news media bias against pro-life advocates.
I noted that this longstanding and indisputable problem remains painfully relevant for people who run newsrooms today.
So imagine my surprise today when I read a National Public Radio report on abortion that impressed me as extremely fair and balanced. (As always, I invite you, kind GetReligion reader, to read the report yourself and challenge my assessment if you disagree.)
Let's start with NPR's headline:
U.S. Abortion Rate Falls To Lowest Level Since Roe v. Wade
That's pretty straightforward, right? Just the facts, ma'am.
In case you're new to this journalism blog, that's how we like it: We promote a traditional American model of the press, with impartial reporting, fair treatment of all sides and sources of information clearly identified.
Next up, let's check out the lede: