The NY Times' Hit Piece on Olympic Hurdler Lolo Jones
City Journal has posted my essay on media bias at the NY Times. What's new in this case is how the Times transfers bias techniques from political reporting to the world of sports reporting.
The Times wrote an extremely critical essay about hurdler Lolo Jones, who was clearly devastated by it.
As I note in my essay:
For many fans, the article came as a surprise. The editors at the sports website sbnation.com, for instance, described its harsh tone as “pretty ruthless.” But awareness of a few facts makes the tone less surprising. One is the Times’political bias. The other is that Jones, over the last several months, has been coming out of the closet with some conservative tendencies. First, she’s a devout Christian and a fan of Tim Tebow. Second, and perhaps most irritating for liberal elites, she’s a 30-year-old virgin. As she recently Tweeted: “Yes, I’m a virgin. #1 reason I’m single bc guys deuce out when I won’t put out. I do so to honor God & future husband.”
Jones was clearly surprised at the Times’s harsh coverage. As she said on the Today show: “I thought it was crazy . . . the fact that it was from a U.S. media, like, I mean, they should be supporting our Olympic U.S. athletes, and instead they just ripped me to shreds.” Someone should explain to Jones that what she calls “supporting our Olympic U.S. athletes,” the typical Times reporter would consider “jingoism.” Someone might also point out that you can’t be a Christian virgin and expect fair coverage from the Paper of Record.
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Mar '12
Re: The NY Times' Hit Piece on Olympic Hurdler Lolo Jones
Another reason not to pick up the New York Times, as though another reason is needed not to pick up the New York Times.
Lolo, thanks for representing us in the Olympics.
Edited on August 14, 2012 at 6:01pmJul '12
Re: The NY Times' Hit Piece on Olympic Hurdler Lolo Jones
I think Miss Jones should be invited to be sports editor at Ricochet. She would join those around here who already write about popular sports contributing her expertise in track and field and her humor. As a long time fan of Miss Jones, I applaud her effort in London. Being 4th in the Olympic Games is probably not what she was hoping for, but one can hardly say that being 4th means she is a failed athlete, as the NYT piece seems to imply.
Jun '12
Re: The NY Times' Hit Piece on Olympic Hurdler Lolo Jones
I second the motion!