How can telling a story make a difference?
Journalism
According to a standard textbook definition from Purdue University, journalism is “the practice of gathering, recording, verifying, and reporting on information of public importance.” While that definition is undoubtedly correct, it’s only at face value.
The true notion of journalism is the pursuit of truth via any means possible, whether it’s interviewing, scouring sources to find the real facts, or conducting polls and surveys. No shortcuts are taken in real journalism, and the foremost priority is to provide an independent truth in service of the general public.
What is journalism?
The practice of gathering, recording, verifying, and reporting on information of public importance.
Activism vs. Journalism
What’s the difference?
Activism can stem both locally and nationally from advocating for school lunch changes to shifts in governmental foreign policy, and similarly, journalism can cover the issues that we hold dear in our communities as well as those from a national standpoint.
Yet, there exists a fine line between activism and journalism in that activism prioritizes persuasion and action, whereas journalism prioritizes truth and understanding.
There can also exist a combination of both activism and journalism, which is appropriately entitled advocacy journalism. It’s not objective journalism, but it also isn’t exactly just activism.
Advocacy journalism, which combines reporting with a point of view, is primarily used by nongovernmental organizations and civic movements, and is largely considered ethical as long as traditional journalism standards are followed.
Objectivity in Journalism
Why is it important?
Objectivity is one of the most critical pillars of quality journalism. An objective journalist displays perspectives from opposing sides without favoritism or preference for either side. It’s important to note that objectivity is not neutrality, as objectivity also involves pursuing the truth fairly and accurately, which may require a non-neutral manner.
Read about how news organizations sacrificed objectivity for neutrality during the Flint water crisis and how it led to incomplete coverage of the facts.
“The method is objective, not the journalist.”
Tom Rosenstiel, Visiting Professor at the Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland
An example of non-neutral journalism that can be considered objective could be a low-income community with contaminated water, similar to Flint, Michigan, in the early 2010s. Suppose the local government and authorities consistently fail to respond to these potentially life-threatening issues, and there is data and testimony to support the notion of environmental neglect. In that case, a news article declaring that change must be imminent can reasonably fall under the “objective” category.
For journalists to be objective, their research and writing methods must also be objective. Fact-checking is a commonly used objectivity method where sources are cross-referenced, experts are consulted, and multiple pairs of eyes check over the same news story to ensure accuracy in information. Transparency within a news story can also be adequate, either through explaining research methods (i.e., “The Daily Observer reviewed over 200 pages of school records”) or by disclosing limitations (i.e., “The school board refused to comment.”)