Objectivity in the Media: Why We Trust Blogs

There has been a lot of rhetoric recently around objectivity in the media -- especially post the ABC News memo. We are not talking about shoddy reporting or intentional falsification, but the notion of objectivity that tries to give balance and voice to each sides of an issue. This is so badly mangled so often by the mainstream media as they tend to equate opposing quotations as balance, whether those quotations have equal veracity or not.

But British papers, let's say, make no secret of their political leanings. They are partisan without shame, and because their biases are well-known, the reader can better assess the outlet's reporting. It is also a much more interesting read. Blogs are similar in this way. Further, if you read multiple blogs from different sides of an issue, you can achieve objectivity, using your own mind as filter and editor.

Because objectivity in reporting is so rarely achieved, should mainstream US media follow the British model of opinionated coverage?