Guilty until proven innocent.

• Author: Saltzman, Joe
• Position: WORDS IMAGES

THE NEWS MEDIA SEEMS WILLING to forgive the President and Congress for the poor economy, no national health care, and the Iraqi war. Most outlets have given up investigative reporting, closing their eyes to corporate corruption and malfeasance. They ignore the poor, disenfranchised, sick, and elderly while fawning over their coveted demographic of 18- to 49-year-olds.

Yet, when it comes to celebrities, it is no holds barred. Whether it be Lindsey Lohan, Martha Stewart, O.J. Simpson, Phil Spector, Britney Spears, or Barry Bonds, the news media gleefully holds endless discussions and spits out countless headlines proclaiming any celebrity accused of a crime the lowest form of life on the planet. Commentators put on their holier-than-thou hats and condemn these celebrities with as much vigor as Salem citizens went after their "witches."

Innocent until proven guilty? Not when it comes to a celebrity, especially a sports celebrity. O.J. Simpson is in trouble again? Show no restraint: Go get him with everything you have. Get on a TV talk show, pointing out that, even if he is not guilty of this crime (armed robbery), he surely deserves prison because he killed his wife and another man. It does not matter mat Simpson was declared innocent of those charges. The media, especially the endless talk shows and commentaries, long ago convicted him.

The Federal perjury charges against Barry Bonds seemed like a vindication for the sports media who pronounced him guilty years ago for lying about taking steroids. No one in the media seems to care that many experts maintain the charges are weak. Being charged with a crime if you are celebrity means either you are guilty of that crime or something else we do not know about.

The media, filled with self-serving, arrogant, ill-informed gossipers on TV, cannot wait to go after Bonds. They discuss his guilt, the fact that a liar like this should not be allowed in the Hall of Fame, and that he merely is getting what he deserves. At least the sports media has confessed repeatedly--it is in almost every story--that the press hates "Barry the Brat" for the way he has scorned reporters throughout his career. In their world, being scorned is as bad as any crime. Do whatever you want in the outside world, but either pay homage to sports journalists or face the consequences.

All of this has been a despicable chapter in American journalism that keeps repeating itself without anyone showing any shame or remorse. Like some...