Biases, Homerism,... and the in between stuff.

As I checked around the blogs (as my usual routine), I was directed to this column from Ottawa's finest columnist and felt it necessary to expand comment about it on my own.

The thing that is missing in this Ottawa Sun column is the question that was posed years ago when I was working in radio by a colleague. He said, "When does a journalist/broadcaster in an attempt to hide their biases so much that they overreach and sound like a homer for the opposite team?"

I could not come up with a true example, but I would imagine this would be like Bill Clement talking up the Penguins during a Pens/Flyers game.

As this pertains to blogs and bloggers, I am guilty on many occasions of being a Pittsburgh homer. However, sometimes my points on opinions are right despite my hometown biases. I have addressed this earlier, but I will say it again. I am a journalist as well as a fan. I would be doing my readers a disservice to tell them that I don't "have a horse in this race" when it is only human to enjoy the game while reporting or giving an opinion. I don't apologize for my biases (in sports or in political views). I find it maddeningly offensive that those journalists that do have agendas point a finger back and insist that they are fairly balanced.

[Via: Ottawa Sun and an Assist from]