journalism and media studies centre, the university of hong kong 1 objectivity, truth, and...

Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong

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Objectivity, truth, and credibility

Critical issues in journalism and global communications

Week 2


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Colin Powell’s speech to the United Nations in2003, showing evidence that Iraq had weapons of massdestruction (WMD). Did the media report it objectively?


Structure of presentation What is “truth” in journalism? Objectivity

1. Accuracy2. Verification3. Against bias4. Comprehensiveness

Criticisms of objectivity Alternatives to objectivity Questions for discussion


What is “truth”?

“Everyone agrees that journalists must tell the truth, but people are befuddled by that the truth means.” Kovach and Rosenstiel

Does truth exist? Postmodernists deconstruct and deny it

Truth: differences in science, religion and journalism


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When a scientist says something is true, what does he or she mean?

Achieved through a process hypothesis formation; repeated observations; followed by theory building to account for observations.

Scientific theories can be tested and verified. Two scientists performing the same experiment should achieve the same results.

Would two journalists write the same story the same way?


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Scientific truth

Four steps of scientific methods: 1. theory and hypothesis 2. empirical observations, experiments and

calculations to test hypothesis 3. original hypothesis is either accepted or

rejected 4. original theory could be modified Repeatibility: others can repeat experiment

with the same results


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Religious truth

Religious truth: Revealed to men and women in divine contacts and passed to generations in sacred traditions (texts and rituals)

Usually cannot be tested or verified Must be accepted as a matter of faith Exceptions: meditative practices (e.g., in

Buddhism) that can be seen as ‘technologies of mind’, or tests.


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Journalistic truth

Largely based on reporting what sources have said: it is taken on belief that it is true, but should be verified.

Sometimes based on what the reporter has seen and experienced first hand.


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Based on experimentand observations,which are tested repeatedly. Can and should be verified.

Belief andfaith. Usually cannotbe verified.

Based on whatsomeone hassaid or seen. Sometimes cannot be verified.

Scientific truth

Journalistictruth

Religioustruth

Three kinds of truth:

What is Truth?


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Are eyewitness accounts the answer?

Psychologists point out that seeing is not always believing.

Confirmation bias: we tend to seek and recollect facts according to our pre-existing ideas.

Information that runs counter to our ideas tends to be discounted.

Eyewitness accounts often differ: e.g., Titanic survivors.


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Towards the journalistic method:

“I made it a principle not to write down the first story that came down my way, and not even to be guided by my own general impressions; either I was present myselfat the events which I have described, or else I heard of themfrom eyewitnesses whose reports I have checked with asmuch thoroughness as possible. Not that even so the truthwas easy to discover: different eyewitnesses gave differentaccounts of the same events, speaking out of partiality for one side or the other, or else from imperfect memories.”

The Greek historian Thucydides (5 BC) describing his method


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1. Accuracy

Accuracy: get your facts right Accuracy involves checking everything from

the spelling of names and facts, to getting quotes accurately.

A basic principle of journalism, but the one that is missed the most often due to time pressures, carelessness, or ignorance.


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2. Verification

Verify your facts. Are the statements and facts that you are

reporting, both accurate and true? “In the end, the discipline of verification is

what separates journalism from entertainment, propaganda, fiction or art.” Kovach and Rosenstiel


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Arriving at a reasonably reliable version of the truth takes time

Arriving at a reasonably accurate account of any event is a process that could take several days, weeks or longer

Verification as a process:- Initially, get the facts down accurately as stated by people- Next, verify these facts, if not the same day, the next day- If there are inconsistencies, keep checking and verifying and looking for new facts until you feel you a have a complete story


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3. Against bias

“We all have prejudices” – Milica Pesic, Director, Media Diversity Institute (London)

Acknowledge your own preconceived notions Actively look for information that counters

what you believe If after making an honest effort you cannot

find such information, you can be a little bit more confident in your story


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The importance of good editors

Editors play an extremely important role in erifying and checking the integrity of a story: a reporter cannot do this alone.

Editors should go through stories line by line checking facts as well as assertions. E.g., if a story reads “according to sources” editors should check. Who are the sources? How many are there? Is it just one? Are there enough sources?

Editors can help remove the reporters unconscious biases


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Techniques to improve accuracy

The San Jose Mercury News accuracy checklist:- Is the lead sufficient supported?- Has someone double checked names, titles, web

addresses etc in a story?- Are all the stakeholders in a story identified,

contacted and given a chance to comment?- Does the story pick sides and make subtle value

judgements?- Are the quotes accurate and capture what the person

wanted to say- Is anything missing?


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The importance of method

Journalism needs to develop a set of objective, transparent techniques and methods for news reporting.

Reporters should make clear where information comes from

Feedback from sources: after a story is published, editors should consider checking with the subjects of the story what they think about it.

This will also help reassure the public about the credibility of the press.


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The importance of attitude

Humility: reporters can only ever know a small part of the truth. They should be willing to acknowledge this.

An awareness of his or her own biases. Intellectual honesty. Objective and transparent methods.


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Journalistic dishonesty

The most common form of intellectual dishonesty : "journalists who select sources to express what is really their own point of view, and then use a neutral voice to make it seem objective are engaged in a form of deception."


4. Comprehensiveness

Multi-sided coverage: are there enough sources? Are all important sources and stakeholders given voice and covered?

Depth: is the context/history sufficiently covered? Is sufficient explanation provided to understand the story? (Out-of-context presentation can be easily biased.)

Limitations: are limitations (on journalists access) recognized? (Case of WMD/Colin Powell)


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Main ideas re objectivity

The crisis of credibility has arisen because readers do not believe what journalists tell them.

Journalists need to produce truthful, accurate accounts of events. But this involves going beyond surface facts, and verifying facts.

Can we make Thucydides our role model? Objectivity is best thought of as a method.


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The meaning of objectivity in journalism

The word objectivity is misused to indicate neutrality, or balance. In practice, this is not possible.

What journalists need to do is use methods of information gathering and reporting that are objective and transparent (easily understandable by the public).

Objectivity as an ideal


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Criticisms of objectivity

1. ‘Sources rulez’: journalists rely on the prominent and elite as their translators or mediators.

2. Objectivity against independent thinking, creativity, imagination, critical perspectives. Objectivity just a technique by journalists=disinterested spectators.

3. Journalists just report and not responsible for creating news. Objective journalists are amoral.


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Alternatives to objectivity 1.

Investigative journalism (independent research, in-deep, long projects)

Interpretive journalism (causal analysis) Partisan journalism

In one-arty systems In competitive systems (Fox TV)

Advocacy journalism Setting new agendas Proposing solutions (shark finning)


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Alternatives to objectivity 2.

Public journalism movement (US) Local issues, bottom-up perspective

Literary journalism Between literature and j; subjective

Gonzo journalism (Hunter Thompson) First person, ego-oriented, entertaining

Media pluralism and objectivity Multiple segments of national media systems Objective option may emerge from pluralist


Questions for the discussion in the sections

Is objectivity possible? Can we reach it? Is objectivity is biased in favour of the status

quo? What would we mean by this? Is objectivity biased against independent

thinking? Do you agree with this? What alternative values for journalists can we

propose? Do you want to be an objective journalist?

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