Journalists' Neutrality

 Many people believe that the only way to accurately report news is to take no sides, relate the facts and nothing more, and to be completely neutral. This is not the case. As we read in the Elements of Journalism book, neutrality is not a core principle of journalism. News can still be reported effectively when opinions are involved. As long as the facts are being reported, and there is an adherence to truthfulness, journalists should be free to express their perspective, which in turn allows the audience to develop their own. We can see this in action through the opinion pages of major newspapers like the Washington Post. Opinion is clearly expressed, but all argument is based on fact. Most would agree that the Post is a reputable news source, and they offer several opinion columns.

This affects my perspective on the news in many ways. In the book, it talked about how modern news media often plays to the preconceptions of the audience, and I think that's very evident. I tend to lean a little left of center, so when I read a conservative or liberal opinion column, I often just feel more strongly about my own convictions.  It offers somewhat of a validation, as we see our views corroborated by people who we see as professionals. So I think that, in a way, it reinforces the perspectives that we have formed over our lifetime.