fairness and balance reporting and writing reporting and writing journalism and media studies centre...

Fairness and BalanceFairness and Balance

Reporting and WritingReporting and Writing Journalism and Media Studies CentreJournalism and Media Studies Centre The University of Hong KongThe University of Hong Kong

Alex LoAlex Lo


Many different types of articles in Many different types of articles in journalism:journalism:

--News stories--News stories

--Features and News features--Features and News features

--News analyses--News analyses

--Profiles--Profiles

--Columns and commentaries--Columns and commentaries

--Editorials--Editorials


The last three on that list – columns, The last three on that list – columns, commentaries and editorials – are commentaries and editorials – are articles in which a writer expresses articles in which a writer expresses an opinion, either his/her own, or an opinion, either his/her own, or that (in the case of editorials) of the that (in the case of editorials) of the media that employ them.media that employ them.


To be persuasive, columns, To be persuasive, columns, commentaries and editorials should commentaries and editorials should be well-researched and well-argued be well-researched and well-argued and take into account opposing and take into account opposing views.views.

But they are not “objective.” They But they are not “objective.” They take a point of view.take a point of view.


For different reasons, it’s a little For different reasons, it’s a little different for news features, news different for news features, news analyses and profiles, but for news analyses and profiles, but for news stories, one of the most traditional ideas stories, one of the most traditional ideas is that reporters must be “objective.” is that reporters must be “objective.”

Here is the Cambridge online definition Here is the Cambridge online definition of objective: “not influenced by of objective: “not influenced by personal belief or feeling.”personal belief or feeling.”


But is objectivity in news stories But is objectivity in news stories possible?possible?

Can our stories be uninfluenced by Can our stories be uninfluenced by our personal beliefs or feelings? By our personal beliefs or feelings? By who we are? By the cultures and who we are? By the cultures and places that have produced us?places that have produced us?


Many journalists today say no and that Many journalists today say no and that complete objectivity is impossible.complete objectivity is impossible.

They say fairness and balance should be They say fairness and balance should be the goals, and that these are more the goals, and that these are more possible.possible.

Fairness and balance mean doing your Fairness and balance mean doing your best to reflect the range of views in a story best to reflect the range of views in a story and giving people under attack a chance and giving people under attack a chance to respond. to respond.


As reporters, you will cover news stories As reporters, you will cover news stories where a wide range of issues will be where a wide range of issues will be discussed.discussed.

You will cover stories where people will You will cover stories where people will make accusations against one another and make accusations against one another and against groups, agencies and governments.against groups, agencies and governments.

We saw a lot of this in the Manila hostage We saw a lot of this in the Manila hostage story.story.


In those situations, against the In those situations, against the pressure of deadlines, you are going pressure of deadlines, you are going to be required to exercise your to be required to exercise your judgment – which of these issues and judgment – which of these issues and these accusations are the most these accusations are the most valid? Which are the most valid? Which are the most newsworthy? Which can I cover in newsworthy? Which can I cover in the most fair and balanced way in the most fair and balanced way in the time available to me? the time available to me?


Sometimes, as in the Manila story, Sometimes, as in the Manila story, reporters work together in teams.reporters work together in teams.

That can spread the work around, That can spread the work around, but cause communication issues that but cause communication issues that can make fairness and balance more can make fairness and balance more elusive.elusive.


So, telling a story that is fair, balanced So, telling a story that is fair, balanced and also accurate (as we already know and also accurate (as we already know from our previous discussions) is from our previous discussions) is challenging. challenging.

People often disagree on the facts of People often disagree on the facts of a story. If they do agree on the facts, a story. If they do agree on the facts, they may disagree on what the facts they may disagree on what the facts mean. mean.


A story that seems fair and balanced to A story that seems fair and balanced to you, or to one group in a story, may seem you, or to one group in a story, may seem unfair to others, depending on their unfair to others, depending on their perspective or agenda.perspective or agenda.

But you are like an umpire or a referee in a But you are like an umpire or a referee in a sports contest – you are involved, but have sports contest – you are involved, but have to be fair to all sides. You know something to be fair to all sides. You know something about the issues, but have no stake in the about the issues, but have no stake in the outcome, except maybe to write another outcome, except maybe to write another story, in which case you want to be on good story, in which case you want to be on good terms with all sides.terms with all sides.


Fairness and Balance are also Fairness and Balance are also important in features and news important in features and news features, news analyses and profiles. features, news analyses and profiles. But these types of articles are But these types of articles are different from traditional news different from traditional news stories.stories.


A feature story is about a topic that might not A feature story is about a topic that might not be currently in the news, but that people be currently in the news, but that people might find interesting because it involves might find interesting because it involves some unique idea or aspect of the human some unique idea or aspect of the human experience. Reporters are still expected to be experience. Reporters are still expected to be fair and balanced, but are given more fair and balanced, but are given more freedom in their writing to develop such freedom in their writing to develop such emotional values as joy, sadness, anger, emotional values as joy, sadness, anger, inspiration and many others.inspiration and many others.


A news feature uses sources and A news feature uses sources and research to turn up new information research to turn up new information and provide insights on events or and provide insights on events or issues recently in the news. issues recently in the news.

The reporter is shaping the content The reporter is shaping the content and therefore has more direct control and therefore has more direct control over what is needed to make the over what is needed to make the story fair and balanced.story fair and balanced.


A news analysis is similar to a news A news analysis is similar to a news feature, except that reporters get more feature, except that reporters get more freedom to express insights and draw freedom to express insights and draw conclusions based on their reporting and conclusions based on their reporting and demonstrated expertise. Their stories demonstrated expertise. Their stories might not have to be as “balanced” might not have to be as “balanced” because they have made a strong “case” because they have made a strong “case” for the conclusions they draw. They still for the conclusions they draw. They still have to be fair if they accuse people or have to be fair if they accuse people or groups of wrongdoing.groups of wrongdoing.


A profile is a journalistic portrait of a person who is A profile is a journalistic portrait of a person who is interesting or controversial for what they say, do or interesting or controversial for what they say, do or think.think.

The profile writer can adopt an “attitude” about the The profile writer can adopt an “attitude” about the subject, but is also expected to give those the subject, but is also expected to give those the subject might attack a chance to respond and to subject might attack a chance to respond and to place controversial issues into a balanced place controversial issues into a balanced perspective.perspective.

Fair and Balanced?Fair and Balanced?

Fox News Channel was created by Fox News Channel was created by Australian-AmericanAustralian-American media mogul media mogul Rupert MurdochRupert Murdoch. Its motto is “Fair . Its motto is “Fair and Balanced”.and Balanced”.

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