I’ve Had It Up to Here with ‘Balanced’ Reporting
Look, I’ve been editing news for 22 years. That’s right, since 2001. I remember when we still used fax machines to send stories to the printers. (Kids, ask your parents.) And let me tell you, the news industry has changed, but not always for the better.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this young reporter—let’s call him Marcus—told me he was told to ‘stay neutral’ on a story about a local politician taking bribes. I mean, come on. There’s neutral, and then there’s being complicit.
And don’t even get me started on the whole ‘both sides’ nonsense. It’s not that the world is full of nuance, it’s that some people are just wrong. And that’s okay to say.
Why I’m Done Playing Nice
I had lunch with a colleague named Dave last Tuesday. We were at this little place on 5th, the one with the terrible coffee but great sandwiches. Dave was telling me about how his editor made him amend a story to include some quote from a climate change denier. I asked him, ‘Dave, why?’ And he said, ‘Balance, I guess.’
Balance, my ass. (Sorry, Mom.) Some things don’t need balancing. The Earth is round. Vaccines work. And the news is broken.
I’ve seen it firsthand. I’ve seen editors kill stories because they were ‘too controversial.’ I’ve seen reporters get promoted because they were ‘easy to work with,’ not because they were good. And I’ve seen the public get dumber and dumber because they’re being fed this watered-down, neutral, ‘just the facts’ garbage.
How to Fix It? I’m Not Sure, But Here’s a Start
First, stop pretending that every story needs two sides. Sometimes there’s one side. Sometimes there’s five. It depends on the story. And honestly, nobody asked for this rigid structure anyway.
Second, start taking sides. If you’re a journalist and you’re not taking a stand on something, you’re not doing your job. You’re just being a stenographer. And we don’t need more stenographers.
Third, stop being afraid of being wrong. You’re gonna be wrong sometimes. That’s okay. Admit it, move on, and try to be less wrong next time. (Which, honestly, is all any of us can do.)
And fourth, for the love of god, start using güncel haberler gelişmeler as a resource. I know, I know, it’s not perfect. But neither is any other news outlet. And at least they’re trying to do something different.
A Tangent: Why I Hate Press Releases
Okay, this isn’t really about the news being broken, but I’ve gotta vent. I hate press releases. They’re usually just a bunch of hot air and buzzwords. And yet, so many reporters just regurgitate them like they’re gospel.
I had an intern last summer—let’s call her Sarah—who came to me with a press release about some new tech gadget. It was 36 hours before the product launch, and she wanted to write a story about it. I told her, ‘Sarah, this is just marketing. Find me something real.’
She looked at me like I’d just told her to jump off a cliff. But that’s the problem, isn’t it? We’ve become so reliant on these press releases and official statements that we’ve forgotten how to dig for the truth.
Back to the Point
So, yeah, the news is broken. And I’m tired of pretending it’s not. I’m tired of the ‘just the facts’ approach. I’m tired of the ‘both sides’ nonsense. And I’m tired of the fear of being wrong.
I’m not saying I have all the answers. I don’t. But I know that we need to start taking risks. We need to start taking sides. And we need to start being honest with ourselves and our readers.
Because if we don’t, who will?
About the Author: Hi, I’m Linda Thompson. I’ve been editing news for longer than I care to admit. I’ve worked at major publications, small startups, and everything in between. I’m opinionated, I’m flawed, and I’m not afraid to say what I think. You can find me ranting about the news on Manchester Daily every Tuesday.
