Agriculture and Media Pt 2

Agriculture and Media Pt 2

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today’s Fruit Grower Report, I’m Bob Larson. Does the “main stream” media tell agriculture’s stories fairly and honestly? Many in rural Washington believe it’s a huge problem.

The Washington Policy Center’s Pam Lewison believes there is some culpability in the media that “decides” what is factual … with a lack of curiosity …

LEWISON … “You know, for me as a former print journalist, there is nothing that makes me die inside more than having reporters swallow things whole and not ask follow-up questions because it alludes to a lack of curiosity.”

That, Lewison says is what journalism is …

LEWISON … “If you’re not genuinely curious and not interested in learning and telling a story to a larger audience, quite honestly, my question for you is, why are you a journalist? Because journalists are supposed to be telling stories and they’re supposed to be non-biased story tellers at that. So, it’s not about your story, it’s about the story of a subject matter and relaying that to readers so that they, in turn, can make up their own minds.”

And those answers, Lewison says should be from the “horse’s mouth” …

LEWISON … “Trying to bridge this gap between suburban and urban areas and rural communities where food is primarily grown. And they talk about wanting to know the person who grows their food. The only way to do that is to have a legitimate conversation with that person.”

Because, Lewison says the one thing that connects everyone, is that we all have to eat to live.

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