Truth & Verification

Last week's group presentation discussed journalism's relationship with verification. How accountable should news be to reporting the "truth"? For that matter, what does "truth" even mean? How can we, as journalists, even be sure that we've found "truth"? The video below shows how one man is upset because he believes that media doesn't think they have an obligation to report the truth.




This man does have a bit of a pessimistic view toward media, and he has little faith in a person's inclination (or lack thereof) to be honest. However, he does raise a good point, and this is that there is no contract or formal bind for media to report the truth. This is why principles are taught to us, as young aspiring journalists, about how to report the truth the best that we can. These principles include things like what we were taught in class last week:

1. Don't add to any story
2. Never deceive your audience 
3. Try to be transparent
4. Do your own reporting
5. Exercise humility

While it is true that journalists have no formal obligation to reporting truth, they do have a conscience, they have their own credibility on the line, and usually do employ some sort of verification in what they write. If journalists consistently try to report using the five principles outlined above, they can get closer and closer to the believed unobtainable truth, and will become more successful and credible journalists.