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Originally Posted by muspell
Now we had a choice as journalists. Should we print the facts? They are, let's face it, as exciting as watching resin harden.
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Boring or not, leaving the guidelines of good journalism is what distinguishes tabloid "story telling" from serious and honest journalism.
Tabloid papers depende on sensationalism to sell their quota of papers, they always spice up the story, adding one or two ambiguous details that change the nature of the story.
At least that was what i learned during my journalism course, many years back.
If we wanted to hear someone telling us a tale or a short story, we would buy one of those pink press magazines. Serious journalists must remain focused on the facts, and abstein themselfs of personnal comments on the matter.
Of course it doesnīt mean that this is what happens in everyday journalism, far from it,but thatīs because most editors only have eyes for a quick buck, and not integrity.
By definition, journalism is about reporting the facts as they appear. Sugarcoating the story is a personnal choice the colunist or editor makes, with the sales figures in mind.
A good example is this reporter named i believe Jason Blair, a reporter for the New York Times if iīm not mistaken, who was making up his stories as he went. He ended up going so deep that he was caught by his own web of lies, and couldnīt back down. When he was finally caught, they found out he had been forging depositions, making up stories, distorting facts, and all because he wanted to be famous. He had lost sight of what journalistic integrity was all about.
And he wasnīt alone. During the past 2 years i must have heard about half a dozen similar stories. High profile reporters, that turn out to be liars and deceivers. And we, the public, are the ones who have to pay for it.