Verification: It’s basic…
Let’s get Monday off to a good start with a quote from page 59 of Telling the Story–the basic reporting textbook I use for JRN270 Introduction to Journalism:
When someone important says something important but perhaps false, just putting the material in quotes does not relieve you of responsibility for the inaccuracies. Citizens, officials and candidates for office often say things that may be partially true or altogether untrue and perhaps even libelous. Quotations, like any other information you gather, need verification.
If America’s political journalists followed this basic instruction of reporting, much horse-race coverage of elections would cease to exist.
Senator Blowhard says X. Senator Numnutz says Y. Now, get the facts, verify, and then tell us whose account conforms to a reasonable understanding of the facts. (I’ve just made that process theoretically more simple than it really is. But over-simplification is necessary to make my point.)
Something disconnects between introductory classes and professional practice that makes the process above appear to violate the professional ethic of fairness. Part of that disconnect may have to do with the wholesale professional confusion about objectivity.
just putting the material in quotes does not relieve you of responsibility for the inaccuracies…
Something disconnects between introductory classes and professional practice
So all journos (even ones who left school decades ago?) have been taught that he-said-she-said isn’t enough? Or is this a new addition to journalism training?
(If they all were taught it, it’s pretty amazing that they don’t bother to do it now…)
A- I can’t speak for other programs, but…
1. This is what I was taught in the 1970s.
2. The textbook in question was written by profs at the U. of Missouri J School–commonly thought to the best program.
3. The idea of a discipline of verification is chapter 4 of The Elements of Journalism.
There are several reasons (good? bad?) for the disconnect. I’ll be covering those–perhaps tomorrow.
As you mentioned once before, political journalists tend to be lazy and seek quotes to fill a story. I have the same issue with sports reporters, but they at least watch the game.
Re: watch the game
One would hope
I meant to ask whether the textbook would be suitable for someone on the periphery (like bloggers) to read.
B- Yes, it’s a basic introduction to journalism and would be suitable for anyone who wants to learn how the profession works (or ought to work) and the basic techniques of professional practice.