After reading today's Washington Post print edition, 1/6/08 on the special article submitted by Anne Dooley on the issue of bilateral cochlear implants (CIs). "At the Rim" deaf blogger also do the similar blog piece on very same newspaper article.
This Washington Post article is one of "self-promote and non-objective" journalism ever seen on the issue of CIs. Anne Dooley is not a trained journalist herself. She actually write and edit several psychic-related and spirituality books.
Here is an enclosure -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/05/AR2009010501944.html?sub=AR
The Washington Post should not let Anne Dooley to do this special article or publish it in the first place. Any journalistic publication like the reputable Washington Post newspaper know better than letting someone writing out the self-promotion and non-objective piece without being objective or let someone do the investigative reporting by independent collaboration and inquires.
I once approached the Washington Post newspaper back in summer 2005 for writing the special coverage of the Deaf Way II Conference in exchange of paying my Deaf Way II conference registration package. The Washington Post coldly replied "We do not hire any freelance writers to do the specials, only the staff journalists!".
In the end, the Washington Post assigned someone hearing, who knew NOTHING about the enrichment and beauty of the Deaf Culture and Way of Life. The Post published only an article about the Deaf Way II Conference on the issue of noise level bothered hotel guests in the surrounding area and described how the real loud music vibrations shook the Washington Convention Center.
Anne Dooley is a classic audist herself which she assumed the best for her own deaf daughter to be refitted with single cochlear implant, then explored the idea for bilateral cochlear implant. She said "rather have her daughter the ability to hear" in despite of acquiring the American Sign Language (ASL) at Columbia School of the Deaf (MD).
Did Anne Dooley frankly ask her own deaf daughter what and how Ruthie really feel about having the cochlear implant? Nope!
Have Ruthie been previously consulted if she was for getting the cochlear implant surgery?
How the cochlear implant surgery for Ruthie being paid by?
Most important of all is the journalism ethics which they clearly forbade any "conflict of interest"
and "subtle advertising".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journalism_ethics_and_standards
http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp
This article is originally going to be published on 1/6/09, but put it on hold
ASLize yours,
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
