Objective Journalism


Objective journalism relates facts and events without bias or personal opinions and having neutrality.  Objective journalism involves aspects of reporting the facts and not choosing any particular side to a story.  According to Michael Schudson objective journalism consists of “'facts,' a distrust in 'values,' and a commitment to their segregation."  Many people believe that objectivity is a myth and unattainable due to multiple reasons. 

One reason is that websites and newspapers decide which stories to run and how to present them.  Additionally many journalists feel that objective journalism does not exist and are critical of neutral or objective reporting suggesting that it provides a disservice to people because it does not find the truth.  Also, many people feel that objective journalism makes people passive recipients of news and disallows the reader to analyze or explain sides of a story and that presenting both sides of a story makes people incapable of what is true or false.  However, even some people believe that objective journalism may be unattainable, does not mean that we should not strive for objectivity.  

According to Schudson, “the objectivity norm guides journalists to separate facts from values and to report only the facts,” and that the journalist’s job consists of reporting something called ‘news’ without commenting on it, slanting it, or shaping its formulation in any way.”

Here is our perspective within the Objective Journalism Initiative
We believe Free Speech and a watchdog role of journalism is the foundation of a strong democracy.
Our goal in starting this initiative at Texas A&M-Commerce is to foster nationwide discussion and research based on this foundation. Mainstream media in the U.S. seem today to be inclined to slant news coverage in favor of a liberal or conservative point of view. We believe mainstream media should instead be moderators of the debate, not public relations tools of a particular point of view. 

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