Transparency in Journalism

Transparency and Independence

Transparency is essential in journalism so that audiences can evaluate the information objectively. It is the foundation for the creation of debates, analyses, criticism, comments, interpretations, and contexts. Independence allows journalists to see beyond their egos, genders, religions, ethnicities, races, and economic statuses. It prevents the journalist from compromise from another person’s interests or becoming daunted by power.

Verification and News Quality

Verification separates journalism from art, fiction propaganda, and entertainment. Clarifying confusion can be a crucial step towards enhancing news quality. Verification is essential as it assists in developing reader’s trust, hence makes it easy to create a brand. Acquiring the truth takes a while since a journalist would not want to share inaccurate information. It, therefore, becomes a process for a journalist to build a positive reputation. When there is misinformation or inaccuracy, it is best for the journalist to correct it and use the right data.

Journalists’ Rights and Responsibilities

Journalists usually do not have better rights than for the public as postulated in the laws of general applicability. It is applicable to situations such as when dealing with anonymous sources. Reporters can guarantee privacy to their various sources. In exchange, they can then gather information, especially for investigation purposes. In such situations, sources fear retaliation from those in authority or power. However, a singular source can change the dimensions of critical stories. A jury may also force a journalist to disclose the story’s source. In simple terms, it may ask the journalist to act as a witness in a civil or criminal trial. It becomes a conflict between a journalist’s rights and a citizen’s duty to attest while assisting the judiciary to deliver justice. This principle means that journalists may have to oblige with the rules of citizens or other parties while intending to gather information.

Works Cited

Craft, Stephanie, and Charles N. Davis. Principles of American Journalism: An Introduction. Routledge, 2016.