Pajamas Media Question #1 - What Is "Fair and Balanced"?

With a new media empire at his finger tips Roger is asking the question to his faithful readers, whether they agree or disagree with his point of view, what does "fair and balanced" mean and how does that pertain to the newly formed Pajama Media consortium of blogs? Since Pajama Media is brand spanking new, I think we have to look at it's predecessors to judge. Were they fair and balanced? If not, why and which would have been better? A lot of us in the blogosphere have devoted ample hours to the criticism of the media for their blatant bias (see Dan Rather and Newsweek), but why are we so upset about that bias? Because they continue to deny there is one. Fox News always claims to be fair and balanced by trying to provide both sides to an issue (eg Hannity and Colmes) or have some self-proclaimed centrist shouting his opinion (eg Bill O'Reilly). For the most part that has worked well for them and garnered them thousands of viewers at the expense of the MSM. But I don't think it's the way they report the news that makes them successful, it's that they are open about their biases. The liberals say they're liberal, the conservatives are proud and open conservatives. They don't hide behind their "journalistic integrity" and claim impartiality or objectivity; they lay it all on the table and let the viewers decide. Here's what I believe and here's who I voted for, now take my word and opinion for what you will. And the viewers have. So Pajama Media should do the same: state what your angle/slant/bias is then report whatever news and opinions you like. I recently have tried to do the same. I try to take what I hope to be "impartial" news right of the Dow Jones newswire, post most of, if not all of the article in question and then give my humble opinion. I could probably make it clearer my general political point of view, but it should be easily deciphered based on the sites I link and the opinions I present (that big Blogs for Bush logo ought to hint at it as well). But I think the readers get the point as would Roger's, and that's the key. That's fair at least and then if they're going for balanced try to bring in lefty bloggers as well so you can get the whole spectrum if you'd like, but I think it's the fair that's more important.