Ink-Stained Retches

Today's unanticipated factoid: among the people increasingly "less trusting of the professional behavior" of journalists are . . . journalists! A survey of professional journalists by Euro RSCG Magnet, a PR and marketing outfit, and Columbia University, found that "45 percent of journalists are less trusting of the professional behavior of their own colleagues -- up from 34 percent in 2003." Many of these journalists were unhappy about the recent unpleasantness involving Dan Rather: "78 percent believe that Rathergate has profoundly altered the media's credibility."

The welcome news is that "93 percent of journalists said they are being 'excruciatingly careful' in fact-checking their stories in 2005 -- a huge increase from 59 percent in 2003, likely a reflection of the press's declining credibility." The grabber here is here is that in 2003, 41 percent of journalists said they were being something other than 'excruciatingly careful' in fact-checking their stories.

The survey actually focused on journalists' attitude toward blogs. "[O]nly 1 percent believe blogs are credible," yet "more than half of journalists use Weblogs regularly, with 28 percent relying on them for day-to-day reporting." Assemble those responses as you wish. Many pro journalists use blogs, the survey reported, to find story ideas and sources.

Tech blogs get especially high marks. Indeed, one of the Columbia profs involved in the survey observed that "it is becoming imperative that journalists and journalism students continue to integrate blogs, especially blogs that cover technology, into their reporting practices."

Here's Washingtonian Magazine's list of "Best Political Blogs: DC Journalists Pick Their Favorites." (Nick posted about this list here.) Hit&Run made the cut.

Finally, in late-breaking developments involving the agenda-setting press, The New York Times today kicks off a poker column. Texas Hold'em, writes James McManus in the debut offering, is "intrinsically beautiful."