NBC News anchor Lester Holt delivered a controversial keynote address at the 45th Murrow Symposium Tuesday in which he called fairness “overrated” and hinted that reporters do not need to hear both sides of the story.
Holt was accepting the Murrow Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism. “The idea that we should always give two sides equal weight and merit does not reflect the world we find ourselves in.”
Holt’s comments drew reactions from reporters and media critics alike. New York University journalism professor Jay Rosen rejoiced in Holt’s comments.
“When the chief anchor of one of the major networks agrees that bothsidesing everything is bad practice, critics have finally won a point and they should celebrate,” Rosen tweeted.
“That the sun sets in the west is a fact. Any contrary view does not deserve our time or attention,” Holt said. “Decisions to not give unsupported arguments equal time are not a dereliction of journalistic responsibility or some kind of agenda, in fact, it’s just the opposite.”
CNN White House Correspondent John Harwood simply tweeted, “thank you Lester.”
