As we delve deeper into our understanding of what makes a source credible, we have uncovered a great many variables that make the difference between something being true, true-ish, mostly untrue, and info-tainment.
We now know that the entity who owns the news outlet is part of the lens through which narratives are shaped, but what about the journalists? News and information are seen based on who produces content. We've essentially left individual journalists out of the conversation in favor of putting the onus on the reader/viewer to determine which stories have the highest collection of facts without bias. Are journalists absolved from responsibility?
Journalism is a profession that is practiced like medicine and law. Skills are honed so that over time they become the most effective they can be. If these skills are not practiced well, people are harmed. Has journalism ever existed in a way that left anyone unharmed? Are we now in a time where what is reported is no longer held to standards, but is spoon-fed by corporate politics, lobbyists, and shareholders? Are journalists world-weary and giving up on ethics in order to make a living? Are there other alternatives for those who want to tell the real stories as they are without agendas?
What would it look like for journalism to be free from the shackles it is bound in, in so many outlets in so many countries? Would we even recognize it as a populace? Would we reject it? Do we also need a reconditioning, or a practice of discernment?
If we are to hold journalists to a higher standard we must also hold ourselves to one. We must be willing to seek and accept the truth even when it goes against our personal narrative. We must be willing to hear different points of view without reacting as if every contrary utterance is a personal attack. We must also be willing to learn, honestly and voraciously, instead of burying our collective heads in the sand and refusing to listen.
Journalists must be allowed to share stories. They must stop sugarcoating, dog-whistling, gaslighting, and misdirecting at the whim of the one who holds the highest dollar. News should be un-tethered from profit, not to punish those who pursue the field, but to free them to immerse themselves in it for the sake of sharing knowledge. Yes, journalists should make a good living, and as a result of that calling, they should create informed citizens who actually now what is going on, why, and what they can do about.
We all bear responsibility. Let's get to work.
I agree that we must hold ourselves accountable if we want to hold journalists responsible. We as humans often are more open to viewpoints that align with ours, but how can we grow and learn if we get defensive when we hear things that go against our norms?
Good post. I agree that everyone should be held accountable with the information we process, accept, and spread.