Getting the Full Story

Vince Damico

vd058216@ohio.edu

As journalists, we have a duty to our country, its citizens and our peers to provide factual information, free of bias, to our readers. Fair reporting allows the reader to draw their own conclusions about the events that have unfolded and form their own opinions based off that. If the journalist doesn't fulfill his or her or their responsibility to report the facts, rather it be through leaving out pieces of relevant information, glossing over important details, or even the dreaded making up of facts (fake news) readers aren't receiving the full picture of what happened, and thus cannot make an educated decision about what has occurred.

As trust in "the media" continues to drop it creates a dangerous scenario for the American public. If the masses don't believe they can trust the information being given to them by the press, how are they supposed to be educated about what's happening in our country? Journalism is still the watchdog of government and society, the fourth estate, wielding a great power that can raise up deserving people, while also having the ability to tear down anyone's reputation in the court of public opinion. If the American people don't trust that they're reading the truth; how can they be informed citizens? As a journalist this burdens falls on us to mend the damaged relationship with the masses.

A Pew Research Center study found a partisan divide in what news sources people find to be trustworthy. The study found that 70% of liberals surveyed trust CNN for political and election news, where as 67% of conservatives polled found CNN to be an untrustworthy source for election and political news. The same study found 75% of conservatives found Fox News to be trustworthy while 77% of surveyed liberals said Fox News was a distrusted news source. 

In a perfect world, finding news would not be a political issue, but alas it is. Why is this the case? The evidence suggests this is because citizens look for news that caters to their beliefs and political ideologies. If consumers of news are only reading news that reinforces their preconceived notions are they really getting the whole picture? Reading about an issue from the opposition's point of view may not sound appealing to some people but it is the best way to fully educate oneself on an issue and draw a well thought out conclusion.

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) publish an ethics code for journalists to follow.

As journalists we have a duty to democracy and to our fellow Americans. Without "the media" the ability to be an informed citizen would be much harder (likely impossible) to obtain. By reporting the facts and telling the truth we can help educate our fellow citizens by providing accurate, unbiased reporting that tells the WHOLE story.