When it comes to journalistic sources, people have very different preferences. The sources I turn to look different from the sources my mom uses, which are different from the sources my mailman uses. Even so, the expectation that we receive clear, honest information is something we all share. Therefore, just like peer writing tutors, journalists must keep the responsibility to communicate clearly and honestly at the forefront of their minds.
The myth of objectivity
Since journalists are people who have their own values and opinions, spin is inevitable and a standard of objectivity is hard to maintain. Honesty, however, is different from objectivity and an indispensable part of journalism.
Honesty, in the context of journalism, means providing stories in a manner that is free of deceit and falsehoods. Because everyone comes from different backgrounds and experiences, it is impossible to make sure journalists craft stories from completely unbiased perspectives. They should, however, make sure they are telling all sides of a story and including any relevant facts.
Journalism as education
The work produced by journalists is meant to educate the public. Through news journalism, people become more aware of current events, the world around them, and how they are impacted by contemporary occurrences. In long-form journalism, readers and viewers learn about ideas and connections that they were previously unfamiliar with.
In the book Good News: Social Ethics and the Press, news sources are criticized for creating “a dichotomy between pleasantness and gruesomeness” and making “avoid[ing] offending the public” their main principle (Christians et al 51). The reality of the news is often not what the public necessarily wants to hear, but journalists have an obligation to tell honest stories in order to educate their readers and viewers.
When it comes to peer tutoring, the writing center staff needs to be respectful of each writer’s feelings and make sure they are presenting all their feedback in a constructive way. However, writing tutors can’t let the fear of sounding too harsh or seeming nit-picky keep them from providing useful feedback to the writer. Ultimately, writing tutors serve to make students better writers and need to keep that as their main objective. The vast majority of writers who come into writing centers will appreciate constructive comments and work with their tutor in order to improve their writing techniques.
Diversity in newsrooms
Journalistic sources need to employ staff with “diverse and fresh viewpoints” so as to experience “an increase in productivity throughout the newspaper” (Meyer 64). In order to present stories that show accurate portrayals of the world around us, newsrooms need to reflect the diversity we have in our society in terms of gender identity, ethnic background, sexual orientation, age, and experience.
When you have a newsroom of people who share all of the same descriptive characteristics, they will often share the same viewpoint. As discussed earlier, it’s dishonest to only employ one viewpoint.
Writing centers should be just as concerned with hiring a diverse set of tutors. Since the writers that come to writing centers come from such a wide spectrum of backgrounds, they need a varied set of tutors who they can relate to and work with. This means having tutors from all different backgrounds and colleges within the university.
Professional autonomy
Journalists have long served as “independent gatekeepers, a role that rests on their ability to make their own judgments about what constitutes news and therefore best serves a vaguely defined public interest” (Singer 69). They often work in conjunction with editors and other team members when pitching and deciding what stories they want to cover, but they generally work solo when it comes to conducting interviews and writing their pieces.
Since they are working alone and submerging themselves into a secluded work environment, it can be difficult for journalists to remember that clear and honest communication is a major tenet of their work. When immersed in their own sphere of creation, there isn’t necessarily someone to check on them, work alongside them, or remind them to be respectful, clear and honest.
Peer writing tutors also possess autonomy in appointments. There are guidelines to follow, but tutors are ultimately in control of the trajectory of their own appointments. With this independence, they can’t become caught up and lose sight of values and core practices. Communicating clearly, honestly, and respectfully is something that needs to be kept at the forefront of their minds.