The Newseum
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 I visited the Newseum while in D.C. yesterday and it was a really wonderful experience. We initially cringed at the $20 admission fee. Although it might not be out of line for pay museums, in D.C. where every Smithsonian is free, it felt quite expense. They also didn't offer a student discount which I didn't like, as I was with a PhD student and an MD student who would have very much appreciated a little money off. I worry that a lot of people won't even walk in the door becuase of the high admission cost. It turns out, after spending five hours there, we thought it was completely worth it - but there certainly was some sticker shock.
The museum was wonderful. It gave me that warm feeling inside, appealing to my belief in a strong independent and free media that is protected from outside bias. The sections about journalists in war, the critical role free speech has played in America and the heroic depiction of journalists fighting for freedom and truth were reminders of how media companies and journalists serve the greater public good. As a publisher and CEO of a media company, it made me proud that we are staying true to the centuries old practices of ethics in journalism fighting for truth and accuracy. Even if the stakes might be a little lower in reviewing gadgets vs. covering a war, it's still critical that we hold true to our duty as journalists to present accurate and unbiased information.
The exhibits were masterfully done, and as a big museum connoisseur I felt they didn't overuse technology as many places do. They used multimedia technology to supplement artifacts and simple information displays at the right time and in the right amount. My one complaint was their coverage of media scandals. I understand that the want to elevate the industry and profession, however, what's so remarkable to me about the ethics of journalism is it's obsession with objectively covering topics, including itself. I feel that as a institution documenting journalism, they have a duty to objectively cover their topic as any journalist would. They only dedicated one panel tucked away to Stephnen Glass, Jayson Blair, Janet Cooke and Jack Kelley. In my opinion, they should have had an entire hall on the topic of unethical journalism and inaccurate reporting, discussing public trust and mistrust of the media.
We actually only got through the first two and a half floors, so I'll need to return probably a second and third time to see the rest. All around, it's a great museum and I think it's certainly worth the $20.
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