Page 60 - Battleground The Media Volume 1 and 2

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Bias and oBJeCtiVity

Citizens who live in a democracy depend on the news media to help them stay
informed about the world and the important issues that affect their lives. Re-
liable information goes to the core of the democratic process. Citizens make
decisions, vote, and take actions based on the information they receive from
the press. Journalism articulates a set of standards and practices that establish a
professional commitment to neutrality and balance in relation to the people and
events reported in the media. The idea of objectivity is a central ethos of jour-
nalism, acknowledging reporters’ commitment to disseminating unbiased news
and information. At the same time, by articulating professional canons and de-
claring the goals of objectivity, legitimacy and credibility are conferred upon the
profession. The role of the press is central to Western enlightenment values, and
the journalistic standard of objectivity is acquiring new global significance as re-
porters seek different roles and institutional supports within formerly Commu-
nist and authoritarian regimes. Whether objectivity can be realized in practice,
however, or whether it is a useful concept for attaining the information goals of
a democracy, remain debatable questions.

whaT is oBJECTiviTy in rEPorTing?
News reporting in the pursuit of truth without fear or favor is undoubtedly
a positive value. Few reporters would want to be considered unable or unwill-
ing to produce accurate, unbiased news accounts for citizens of democracies
who need to make informed judgments about public affairs. But in an age
when journalism, with increasing frequency, is criticized for biased and unfair

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