Is there anyone in the mainstream media that is really objective? If we can't have real objectivity; is there a talking head from television who manages to inhabit the area between the far left Kings and Riveras, and the far right Liddys and Norths?

Even a " news " program or article, these days, always seems to be shaded with the writer's affiliations. I suppose this " opinionization " of even standard news reporting, is just the natural process of change in general ( see News, news, news... ( 7-3-98 ) ). Checking the radar screen for objective journalists; no apparent blips...now, wait a second.

Is there a major network news anchor who appears to be OBJECTIVE? Walter Cronkite? No, he's gone...why do people of my generation always seem to trust him?

Some channels try and solve the objectivity question by having two-sided programs. Crossfire and Hannity and Colmes come to mind. This helps feed the problem by getting folks used to the opinionated nature of media broadcasts in general. These editorial programs are often mistaken as NEWS by the viewing public. Sound bites from these shows are also turned into little " news " items themselves; thus, they created their own " news ". Toss out the objectivity and give 'em a heafty dose of opposite end partisan bickering, and the ratings keep rolling on in.

Is there a non-anchor type who solo hosts a news-based editorial program around? While the CNN and Fox answer to the question seems to be the two-sided program, MSNBC seems to try for some measure of objectivity. It's true that they host Grodin and Rivera ( so far left I can't see them evn with binoculars ) and you need The Hubble Space Telescope to find Tom Brokaw; but they also have John Gibson and Chris Matthews. Both Gibson and Matthews are, in my opinion, left of center politically, but they seem to be the most able to sort things out with no shading either way.

Don't get me wrong, sometimes the partisans are amusing to watch. Kinsley and Buchanan were fun to watch, but you need more than the Hubble to find Bill Press! Bob Novac can be logical at times, but I bet he has a RIGHT TURN ONLY sign on the wall in his bedroom. I don't listen to Imus or Limbaugh enough to make up my mind for myself, but they do have reputations.

I derive these opinions from 4 decades of watching television news, reading publications, paying attention to folk's opinions at cocktail parties, and a decade of 24 hour cable news shows and C-Span running at work.

- Bongo ( making a subjective choice on an objective matter... )