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*Peace

Objection to Objectivity

As a student of journalism we are constantly reminded, drilled rather, about the need to keep objective- to practice the art of objectivity. Never mind the fact that this is often near impossible to do it is also something I find difficult to understand. In first year we were told that as journalists we are the watchdogs of society, keeping an eye out for an opportunity to, say, expose a corrupt government decision. This would be considered our responsibility. On the other hand, objectivity rules out the idea of responsible reporting. I say this because practicing objective reporting means gathering statements from those in charge, people in power, in order to gain greater perspective on the issue at hand. Theodore Glasser in a short and concise article about objectivity illustrates the bias found in objective reporting, this bias being in favour of leaders and officials, prominent and elite. “Objective journalism almost always favours Establishment positions and exists not least to avoid offense to them.” I am perplexed. This is what I’m talking about in my previous post- journalism is so complicated! So many sneaky aspect I wasn’t aware of!
Besides that, does the need to remain objective mean that as journalists we are, as Glasser also points out, stripped of our creativity and imagination? Objectivity, something initiated in order to make the whole news process efficient, is now a professional standard. This step towards efficiency was also a step towards reporters distancing themselves from the substance of what they reported.
But then again, at the end of the day I think about the fact that the consumers of news have the right to know both sides of the story. And this is supposedly what objectivity strives for. So ultimately, it would seem that I have a rather confused philosophy regarding objectivity. But, should I be forced to take a side, I would say that in an ideal world journalists would have the freedom to write unreservedly and passionately instead of regurgitating facts.