The Obama Picture: The Traditional Media Fell For It

Much has been made over the last 36 hours of the picture of Barack Obama in traditional Muslim dress. The story surfaced first on Matt Drudge’s ‘Drudge Report’ and quickly became the story everyone wanted… for one reason or another. You can read more details here if you want.

As a journalist, this story really bothers me. First, the question of WHO really ‘leaked’ this to Drudge is still unclear. It appears to be political mudslinging and fear-mongering flaring again. New media outlets leaped to links. Popular traditional media quickly followed with stories and questions about whether this was a story at all. Especially on cable news, they talked… and talked… and talked even more about whether this non-story was a story at all. Funny how that happens way too often. Forget that fact that when many politicians travel to countries rich in culture and heritage, they often sample everything from clothing to food. Obama appears to have been no different. Forget the fact that the traditional mass media allowed a single editor to determine coverage of the biggest political race in a generation. Drudge is a powerful force in new media. He’s proven again that his coverage can manipulate even the traditional mass media. Forget that journalists should question every answer and every story. In this instance, many questioned the story by DOING a story about the picture.

It’s a sad state of affairs when the media runs rampant without joining its job. Correction: it’s a sad picture of us.