Journal Editorial Report: "The Worst Show On A Cable News Network"

05/27/2008

Slate Media critic Jack Shafer says that the Wall Street Journal Editorial Report is "The worst show on a cable news network." He has specifics about the style

Hosted by Wall Street Journal Editorial Page Editor Paul Gigot, the show draws its guest list almost exclusively from Gigot’s staff and contributors to his page, making each installment an extended exercise in groupthink. Dim groupthink. Dim groupthink punctuated with laughter and knowing nods.

and

I wish I could write that The Journal Editorial Report has gotten worse since I first reviewed it two years ago, but it hasn’t. Instead, it has preserved its 2006 badness as if it’s an archeological artifact. Gigot still serves mostly softballs to his staff and guests, and the show makes almost no news. As if to acknowledge the show’s ongoing badness, Fox still buries The Journal Editorial Report in the 11 p.m. Saturday time slot, when most of the nation’s televisions take their weekly nap.

But what I object to is that if I watched it, I see things like this:

PAUL GIGOT:Still ahead, federal officials say it was the largest raid in U.S. history and has put the issue of illegal immigration in the headlines once again. When we come back, is there a case to be made for open borders?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIGOT: Nearly 400 suspected illegal immigrants were arrested this week in a raid on a meatpacking plant in Iowa. Federal officials say it was the largest operation of its kind in U.S. history.

Wall Street Journal editorial board member, Jason Riley, is author of the new book ”Let Them In, A Case for Open Borders.”, He joins me now.

Jason, a lot of Americans will say, looking at a raid like this at a plant and finding 400 illegals, why should these people have a right to break the law and come and work in this country?

JASON RILEY, EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER: I think the real lesson to take away from this is — well, there are a couple legislation ones. Do we want our homeland security resources be put to use this way? Is this the best most efficient use of them? [FOXNews.com — Transcript: 'The Journal Editorial Report,' May 17, 2008 — FOX Network The Journal Editorial Report]

In fact, many people want to see homeland security resources used that way — just not the Wall Street Journal editorial board.

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