Objectivity is considered one of the main tenets of journalism. Both those outside of and within the field of journalism hold journalists to high standards when it comes to fair reporting. Lately, however, the lines have begun to blur when it comes to how objective a journalist needs to be in their coverage. With the internet and social media, people are constantly being bombarded by news from all different kinds of sources. Journalists are also able to interact more, and in a very public place, with both their audience and their sources. This presents unique challenges when it comes to staying truly objective.
There are both good and bad sides to objectivity. Even though it is now considered a core value of journalism, that was not always true. In fact, the term did not appear as a part of journalism until the 1920s. It was meant as a way to make reporting more consistent and to keep personal biases from influencing people's work. This is the basis for objectivity and what many journalists still strive for today. Over time it evolved so that now, while the journalist cannot be completely neutral, their work itself always should be. Many positive things come out of this type of reporting. By aiming for neutrality, reporters became even more conscious of their own personal beliefs and learn how to keep that out of their reporting. It offers a kind of buffer between the journalist and their audience and is supposed to allow for the journalist to have the benefit of the doubt. Objectivity is meant to create trust between the journalist and the reader; as long as the journalist keeps an outside perspective, then the reader can count on receiving a trustworthy story.
Of course, there are also negative aspects of objectivity. There can be such a thing as too much objectivity. The neutral voice that journalists often use can often be a mask that they use to hide their own biases. Also, if journalists are only reporting facts without any analysis or voice then often times their writing can come across as cold or lifeless. There is a fine line between including one's professional judgment and inserting an opinion. This has become a big problem today. Many people, especially conservatives, feel that most news organizations have a liberal bias and find journalists untrustworthy. Of course, it is impossible for any journalist to be completely objective. Every person has their own biases and it will come through in their writing no matter what. However, it is becoming harder and harder nowadays for journalists to stay neutral and keep readers' trust.
Objectivity is a core value in journalism. It guides how almost every journalist writes and interacts with their audience and their sources. It is not a perfect system, however. It does have its faults and it is impossible for anyone to be completely objective. It is important to keep in mind, though, because we do not want personal biases to affect journalistic integrity.
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