How To Stay Credible & Ethical In A Digital World of Skepticism
Short-Form Feature Story
Due to the abundance of fake news, propaganda, and lies that overrun their news feeds, American news consumers deeply distrust journalists. The presence of fake news and propaganda is at an all-time high, and Americans no longer have any idea of what is true and what is false. This uncertainty only bolsters their skepticism of information, which then transfers to the messengers of that information: journalists.
The American public thinks journalists are no more trustworthy than politicians who advertise false promises or congressmen who don’t speak up for their district. Roughly 52% of the American public have ‘not too much’ or ‘no confidence at all’ in journalists’ ability to prioritize the public interest (Pew Research Center, 2020).
What’s more is that the current political climate in the United States drives this distrust of news. It’s what enhances fake news stories, propaganda, and other slandering material that’s seen so often online. Even with this political divide, journalists can gain trust and take back their vital role in our democracy. The job that journalists hold keeps the democratized standards we have both in the real world and online.
Most journalists consider their work a public service or something they do for the greater good of society. Everyone deserves to know what is happening across the globe and in their own communities. Whenever that work is seen as unethical or wrong, it’s easy for journalists to get defensive and upset. What’s important for journalists to remember is these widespread negative associations the American people have with the news media are only applicable to specific publications and writers (Mayer, 2020).
Not every journalist or paper aims to correct errors as quickly as possible, label their stories properly, protect their sources ethically, or be transparent about their reporting processes. It’s important to make sure that as a public writer, especially with the rapid growth of digitized media, every step is taken to ensure your work is as ethical and credible as possible to rebuild the trust between American news consumers and journalists. This is not always easy because of the increased use of multimedia and the 24/7 news cycle, but there are certain steps and checks journalists can make to ensure they are sticking to their core values.
Journalism is a profession that involves personal relationships that are based on honesty, integrity, and morals. The everyday activities of the job involve plenty of risk and stakes. As a result, many people find it shocking that journalists do not have an official oath to solidify their credibility and hold them accountable (Walsh, 2021). Unlike professions such as law, medicine, and federal employment where taking an oath is required to serve people and the public good, journalists don’t. Because of this lack of perceived ‘unprofessionalism,’ many people don’t like journalists or find it difficult to believe them. Even though there is no official oath that reporters must take to work in this field, there is an abundance of resources that provide guidance and answers to the ethical questions journalists ask themselves daily. In addition, almost every publication creates its own ethical and moral standards for its employees to follow and rigorously uphold.
The guideline that is upheld and referred to at practically every news organization in the United States is the Code of Ethics by the Society of Professional Journalists. The Code of Ethics includes information and guidance for journalists that relate to these pillars of reporting:
- Seek Truth and Report It
- Minimizing Harm
- Act Independently
- Accountability and Transparency
With these baseline values, the Society of Professional Journalists can update and adapt this code to meet the modernized standards and workings of a newsroom. Journalists should refer to this code whenever facing ethical questions in their writing. For example, it would be valuable to refer to this code if an elected official made a statement that would appear defamatory if the journalist didn’t provide context. By evaluating and correcting ethical situations in our work, journalists become stronger writers and more trustworthy in the public eye.
Looking at a specific publication, The New York Times has extensive and historical prominence in the news world. Their ethical standards are strict and constantly referred to by other publications. By keeping in mind its responsibility to uphold the First Amendment, The New York Times Ethical Journalism Handbook includes items such as news pursuance, neutrality, advertising and marketing, copyrights, and much more. Even though there is no permanent oath or ethical code for journalists to abide by, these guidelines and handbooks should be used by journalists to make the best decision in times of stress.
Gaining media consumers’ trust in the media should not be an industry-wide battle; instead, each individual journalist must show their credibility and trustworthiness on a personal level to their readers by being transparent and upfront about their reporting processes. It would be near impossible for one sole news organization to convince the entire American public it is the top news producer. But individual journalists across the media landscape can create this change and set standards to make a difference.
Transparency and commitment to ethical values, missions, and processes are vital in an age of digital convergence. There is no way to convince every American citizen that journalists constantly uphold their values, but by making yours public, labeling stories correctly, and being as transparent as possible, you’ll grow your audience and credibility in the media. There will always be mistakes, but the ability to fix them, explain why, and move on, makes you a better journalist. Validate the public’s skepticism or fears, then show them and prove to them why they can and should trust your work (Mayer, 2020).
Building back trust in journalists will take time and effort. It won’t happen overnight, but by working harder to deliver news that is fair, ethical, valuable, and accurate, the news media will see a difference in its viewership attitudes. Then the harm of political polarization, fake news, and propaganda can begin to dissolve.
Our work as journalists is to cultivate credibility and trustworthiness in the overflow of digital information. With the increased use of digital media, the process and credibility of reporting have been negatively impacted by the rapid growth of fake news and propoganda. By committing to transparency in our work, journalists can help push out these negative aspects of online media and rebuild the trust and reliability the American news consumers once had in the news media.
