Rachel Smolkin | Off the Sidelines
Smolkin writes about the conflict for journalists when they are required on the one hand to be objective observers and on the other to respond as human beings to suffering and tragedy. Her experience reporting on the inexcusable lack of government help during Katrina changed her from a hard-line view (journalists should only report, never help victims) to feeling that helping out does not compromise one's impartiality and objectivity in reporting a tragedy.
-According to correspondent Bob Woodruff, the ___________ is "a very ivory tower notion that's not practiced in the field."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The "detached-observer ideal" refers to the notion that journalists should remain completely objective and uninvolved, which Bob Woodruff suggests is not practical in real-world reporting situations.