Impartial journalism in a digital era
The Listening Post examines the relevance of impartiality and objectivity in journalism today.
It is one of the main principles taught in journalism school – how to be objective, impartial and keep your emotions out of your stories. But they are not always easy concepts to follow.
True impartiality is about honestly considering lots of different viewpoints on an issue and letting the weight of evidence drive the story.
In a world where bad news – war, poverty and terrorism – lead the coverage, you will be hard-pressed to find a journalist who has not found keeping emotions and opinions out of stories a challenge.
But we live in the digital era, and the internet has opened up a space for a more partial, partisan style of journalism. So what value then does impartiality have in this era?
What do news consumers lose from impartial reporting? And how can traditional journalism co-exist with this new form?
The larger question remains – is anyone truly impartial? Can any journalist really separate their own opinions, emotions and ideology in order to report objectively?
It is not a new debate, just a more prominent one, as all those voices on the internet combine, to blur the lines in the world of journalism.
The Listening Post’s Gouri Sharma lays out the arguments for and against impartial journalism in a digital era.
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