Objectivity in social media
By Dayanara Analuisa
It is true that objectivity is not as common anymore, but saying it is a myth is a bit far-fetched. However, I do agree that the idea of objectivity is more known with certain groups or people. Although using the word “privileged” makes it seem like an unfair advantage, being objective may not always be what the audience needs to hear.
If one isn’t objective that doesn’t necessarily mean they have a biased view. Journalists can state facts on one side of an argument, but that doesn’t always mean they are biased. It is possible that the other side of the argument may not even exist, and there is no other side to report on. It is up to the journalist to state the facts, but the way they state it is up to them.
Although many investigative journalists attempt to write objectively, news as a whole can be seen subjectively. The passage argues that we need to learn how to “filter subjective impulses,” but that is nearly impossible. As humans, telling us not to feel is a grueling job to do. Certain facts can be straight to the point and unbiased, but it is up to the audience to interpret these facts. The idea that news can be seen more objectively make sense because certain people can find different types of new good or bad.
I do agree that some people don’t need to reveal their beliefs on controversial topics to a certain extent. However, there are certain cases where it wouldn’t hurt to share an opinion. Although, the situation gets more difficult when politics get involved because everyone has a position and not everyone will agree. This ties into objectivity because journalists are trained to follow down this path. I would usually go against objectivity but because it deals with controversial topics, it would be safer to stay neutral.
There will always be a story to cover where a journalist is emotionally involved, but that doesn’t make them a bad journalist. In a new generation of journalists, being emotionally involved isn’t always a bad thing. One can still state the facts and still put their passion in their piece that they are knowledgeable about.
