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| CREDIBILITY IN QUESTION | |
 April 2005 
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Public
trust in the news media has been shaken by several recent scandals and
lapses of journalistic judgment. Two experts answer your questions about
specific cases of journalistic misdemeanors and how the news organizations
in general can improve their credibility. Special Report: Credibility in Question
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J. Short of Chicago, Ill. asks: I'm concerned that Americans seem to only watch news programs that reinforce their current views. Is it ethical for media outlets to restrict what type of news they report and the manner in which they report the news? And finally, how and who decides what is news? Jay Rosen responds: I think it's more possible to live in a self-reinforcing information world today. This is what J. Short is reacting to. It's more possible, but do people actually choose that? What evidence we have does not support the assumption-or fear? --that they will. But if Americans choose to watch a news channel more in line with their values and assumptions, we shouldn't shout "echo chamber" at them. It's rude and it doesn't help you grasp what's going on. What's ethical? It's stuff we all understand. Don't cook the books. Don't put your finger on the scale. No "first the verdict, then the trial" reasoning. Don't say you know when you really don't. Michael Getler responds: I think you are right to be concerned. There actually is a long history in this country of a partisan press. That went away in recent decades to a great extent with the ascendancy of solid, probing and generally independent journalism pursued by several big news organizations and the major networks. Solid and courageous reporting about the reality of Vietnam and Watergate, for example, cemented the view for many people-though not all, of course -- that the press indeed could be a true watchdog and fulfill a checks-and-balances role as a fourth estate. In recent years, however, it seems to me, at least from my perch and anecdotally, that a growing number of people prefer to watch or read news that conforms to what they want to believe. I believe this is harmful to an informed citizenry. I don't think it is unethical at all for media outlets to report and publish with a view in mind. I think people recognize that and can accept or reject it. As for who decides, editors do, or at least they should. This is a long discussion. My short point is that reporters are the ones with the bylines and the TV appearances and the ones the public focuses on. But editors are the gatekeepers and to the extent that they fall short in their role journalism slips. My short answer is that much more attention needs to be paid within news organizations to how well editors know their subjects and perform their role. |
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