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I came in near the end of the interview with Agnes Varda.  Mdm. Varda expressed her view that the election of Obama gave a profound sense of hope (I am paraphrasing), and then she asked Emily Harris if she shared her view.  Emily dodged her question, changing the subject, but Mdm. Varday called her on it and asked if she would answer the question.  Emily seemed to be searching for what to say next, then responded with a general statement about how many Europeans and Americans shared her view.  It was clear she would not, or could not, give her personal opinion.

This is a concrete example of a profound cultural difference between French and American journalism.  We, Americans, believe in objectivity--that a journalist must remain objective and remove his or her personal views from the reporting.  The French perspective is that objectivity is a myth, and that a journalist's duty is to reveal his or her bias up front.  They see the attempt to create or maintain objectivity as a pretence. 

I have a hunch that Mdm. Varda was amused by the American journalist on the telephone.  In any case, this would be an interesting topic for a show--Is objectivity in reporting a myth?

posted 4 years, 4 months ago
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I have one daughter leaving for the U of O this fall. My wife and I have put away $100 a month 18 years (her lifetime so far), and it is not enough money. When completing the FAFSA, this money is figured in and effectively excludes her from assistance. What frustrates me is that my daughter will likely finish school with debt despite her parents acting resposibly to provide--shouldn't there be some reward in terms of assistance for those who act responsibly?

posted 4 years, 9 months ago
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