In my opinion, the thing that journalists owe their audiences the most is the truth. According to the student presentation, they are of the same opinion. And so are most journalists. I can see how this could sometimes be difficult for some professionals who might be desperate to get a story first or to make their news more enticing, which is why it is all the more important. With all the competition that surrounds journalism it is important to remember to have integrity in what you report. It is important in the long run especially because if you are dishonest, it will follow you and severely lower your credibility.
In relation, I liked learning about the distinction between reporting the truth and being balanced. It should be the goal of a journalist to report unbiased information and to keep it fairly balanced, however, if being balanced competes against telling the truth, the truth should take priority.
Although I see the truth as being one of the most important aspects of being a journalist, clearly they have other responsibilities to their audiences. These were also addressed in the student presentation. Being relatable to the audience is a big one. Who wants to read something they don't feel connected to in some way? How does it affect/ inform/ relate to me? They also need to be current and updated with modern times. If someone's reporting on old or outdated news, chances are that the audience will care less. Give us something that's "now."
I found a book online that delves further into what journalists owe their audiences and what their responsibilities are:
"The Ethical Journalist: Making Responsible Decisions in the Pursuit of News" by Gene Forman
I read bits and pieces of it online off of google books at http://books.google.com/books?id=JeygmPKvSoIC&pg=RA2-PT81&lpg=RA2-PT81&dq=what+journalists+owe+their+audiences&source=bl&ots=6ZeV0ZK0lN&sig=PxQ-ihU32CEfzyIMi7e5y0HDZb4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Z1tUUsjZKeL2igKn0IC4Bg&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=what%20journalists%20owe%20their%20audiences&f=false
Check out Chapter 10. Good stuff.
Hi Mccall! Sierra from class here! I've been reading over your post and I couldn't agree more with you! Journalists have a lot of responsibilities in their line of work, but above all, they owe their audience the truth. Honesty, to me, is the shining characteristic of ethical journalism. It can be hard to define exactly what the "truth" to a story is, but it's so important for journalists to get as much information as they can and write honestly. Mark Twain said, "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." Good work Mccall!!!!
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