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UNDERSTANDING JOURNALISM
1. It is not a news outlet’s job to help someone get elected.
It’s not a news outlet’s job to heap praise, congratulations, or thanks on a politician.
2. A news outlet isn’t a public relations firm for a politician.
1. It is not a news outlet’s job to help someone get elected.
It’s not a news outlet’s job to heap praise, congratulations, or thanks on a politician.
2. A news outlet isn’t a public relations firm for a politician.
3. “Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations.” – George Orwell
Not exactly. But he’s not far off.
Not exactly. But he’s not far off.
4. Asking questions isn’t criticizing.
It’s forcing the people with the power to impact lives to explain why they’re doing what they’re doing.
They should.
It’s forcing the people with the power to impact lives to explain why they’re doing what they’re doing.
They should.
5. You should want to know what your government is doing. Transparency is essential.
They’ve been given power that can alter lives and taxpayer money to do it. Politicians should defend how they use both.
They’ve been given power that can alter lives and taxpayer money to do it. Politicians should defend how they use both.
6. A news outlet’s job is to report what happened.
It’s to fact check.
It’s to expose misuse of power and hold people accountable.
It’s to shine light on places that shouldn’t stay dark.
It’s to fact check.
It’s to expose misuse of power and hold people accountable.
It’s to shine light on places that shouldn’t stay dark.
7. Objectivity and balance doesn’t mean every ‘bad story’ about a politician has to be balanced out by a ‘good story.’
It means you apply the same news standards to every politician, regardless of whether there’s a ‘D’ or an ‘R’ next to the name.
It means you apply the same news standards to every politician, regardless of whether there’s a ‘D’ or an ‘R’ next to the name.
8. There’s a big difference between fact-based journalism and opinion journalism.
It’s important to know the difference. (Hint: Cable News channels in primetime are doing opinion).
It’s important to know the difference. (Hint: Cable News channels in primetime are doing opinion).
9. Pundits sharing their opinion is cheap; reporters doing real journalism is costly.
The second is far more important than the first (and gives the first its material).
The second is far more important than the first (and gives the first its material).
10. If you’re watching a news program that seems more interested in telling you what some other station is saying (and why it’s wrong), they're disrespecting your time.
You chose them and yet instead of informing you, they’re talking about a program you didn’t choose to watch.
You chose them and yet instead of informing you, they’re talking about a program you didn’t choose to watch.
I'm not saying stations always achieve this. We don't.
And if you want to blow up my mentions with all the ways you think the industry fails, feel free.
But I think it's important to understand our actual function; some don't.
I believe dialogue about it is important.
And if you want to blow up my mentions with all the ways you think the industry fails, feel free.
But I think it's important to understand our actual function; some don't.
I believe dialogue about it is important.
