Code Name: Truth

Chloe Ruffennach
cr584116@ohio.edu

Photo provided by https://libertylifecenter.org/you-cant-change-the-truth/

Throughout all forms of journalism, one aspect remains consistent and unwavering: The pursuit of truth. To many, this is self-evident. Since its founding, truth has been the sole motivator of journalism. However, in the era of "fake news," this is believed less and less.

For many crucial institutions in journalism, truth is at the forefront of decision-making. From SPJ to PRSA, truth is considered one of the core ethical values in journalism. It is so essential for trust and honest reporting that it is written into the very codes that these institutions abide by. It feels nonsensical to bring this up for most, but there has never been a greater time to underscore the importance of "truth" being included in these guidelines.

These stand as a stark contrast to the informal tweets and cries of "fake news" that are lobbed against mainstream outlets such as CNN and MSNBC. Specifically, these claims are usually hurled by Republicans who prefer the right-leaning Fox News and disagree with any information that goes against this conservative echo chamber.

On an individual level, it is clearly critical for journalists, or anyone within the journalism field, to take these established codes to heart. And while most pursuing a professional career in journalism will undoubtedly take these codes of conduct seriously, there are many outside of the journalism field who like to critique journalism from the sidelines and dismiss these codes as lies altogether.

These small voices are making a big difference, though. Journalism.org reported that 68 percent of Americans say "made-up news and information greatly impacts Americans' confidence in government institutions." If people believe that all news, especially reports on politics, is false then the very functioning of our government is called into question. As our watchdogs, journalists rely on reporting truthful information about politicians and political occurrences, regardless of the light it paints the subject in.

It comes as surprising then that those who believe "mainstream media outlets" are simply falsifying their loyalty to established codes. Almost all journalists, both independent and those tied to recognizable outlets, will claim to be actively reinforcing these principles. Do the "fake news" champions believe that they are lying about this as well?

This type of thinking dips its toe into conspiracy theory territory. But it is important to note that this train of thought exists. Truth is only valued so long as it is respected. If it is not acknowledged or accepted then the value of truth, and therefore journalism, is nonexistent. Invalidating truth and truthful reporting invalidates journalism directly, and therefore it shakes the foundation our government stands on. It is a slippery slope that finds its roots in dismissing the fine print of these codes as lies.

So how do we fix this? There is no way to rid the country of these criticisms altogether or to change the minds of the critiques themselves. They have their minds made up that CNN and others are the enemies of the people. The only way we can ever hope to regain our credibility is to remain credible. The truth is the truth even if it is labeled a lie by someone who doesn't educate themselves on the facts. Ultimately, time will reveal that truthful organizations, who remain true to their codes of ethics, will withstand the test of time.