There IS a role for Newspapers

And not as bird cage liner. An emerging and necessary role for "newspapers" can be seen by reading the three part WaPo series on the housing bubble, and many of the NYT links I've made. Many of the published pieces have on line interactivity with charts and data. This detail, backed up with references and NO ANONYMOUS sources can be a bright future for newspapers. News: just facts. Detailed articles or essays can be very good, but only if the "reporters" are honest---OK, in the present environment honest plus reporters is an oxymoron---and only if the paper separates these essays from whatever political agenda obtains in the publishing and editorial departments. There IS a potential role for newspapers, but as of right now they are liars, manufacturers of stories, and indoctrination manuals. For an egregious example of newspaper lying be sure to check Patterico on the Judge Kozinski reporting. For another go here to yesterday's link to the Haditha reporting..... Both links are to total shit in "respected" media.