To Be Objective, or Not to Be

To me, the true definition of objectivity in relation to journalism consists of three things:

1.      Fairness. In order to be fair, a journalist must be as somewhat neutral. This does not suggest that a journalist must be completely free of emotion or opinion. The way I see it, an article or any written piece void of emotion is gutless and makes me uninterested as a reader. The journalist must capture emotion, but rather than getting carried away with their own, they should strive to capture the emotion of the people and the story they are reporting on. In doing so, they must also be respectful to those involved.

2.      Focusing on community values rather than personal values. There are many values that are accepted among large communities, and a journalist who focuses on those values will not only be expressing his/her own, but will also be staying true to their community. 

3.      Staying true to the facts. Not only is this important for staying objective, but it is also a huge factor in credibility. A journalist has to be careful how they portray emotion and opinion, but facts are always objective. 

These three things are all, in my book, part of objectivity. Objectivity allows journalists to report with the reader in mind. This kind of unselfish reporting helps provide a framework to function ethically as a journalist.

Check out this interesting site to learn more views on objectivity.