I have never understood how it is difficult not to let one's own biases into reporting. BRICS does it very simply on X. It will state something like "Israel just dropped a bomb on this city. Four killed." There is no opinion in that.

News comprises pure detail. In the years I grew up, there was no opinion in newspapers. Of course, you were in America, and I was in South Africa, Europe, and the UK. They had a very different idea of what news is. The rot started creeping in in the 70s.

There were only two forms of opinion in newspapers in those days. The one was the editorial, and the other was 'letters to the editor.' That was it. It certainly wasn't difficult to write news without an opinion.

"Prisoner jumps out of John Vorster window to his death." A 34 year old man, after being quizzed by the police, dashed to the window and jumped out of it." Where is the opinion. Just straight statements of fact.

You speak about 'editorial pages.' Yes, they shouldn't exist. One editorial column is it. This idea where an entire newspaper is more opinion than news does not sit well with me.

I no longer read the Guardian. Twenty five years ago when I worked for them in South Africa, it was a very different newspaper. Now it sports more opinion than news. I deeply regret supporting them.

I am about to switch to Reuters. They report. There is no opinion.

No newspaper should have opinion - it blurs the lines.