1. “The best available version of the Truth”
Race Gender and the News
Kim Pearson

2. What do journalists mean by “Truth?”
Using most “objective” methods possible
A discipline of verification
Multiple sourcing (documents, witnesses, physical evidence where appropriate)
Push for data-driven stories
Computer-assisted reporting
Journalists as primary researchers
Recognizing that data may be flawed
Attempting to disprove hypotheses, not confirm preconceptions
Willingly correcting demonstrated errors
Being a reflective practitioner

3. Components of objectivity in journalism
Detachment
Non-partisanship
Inverted pyramid
“Facticity”
Balance

4. Objectivity: History of an idea
Gradual 19th century development
Result of changes in US culture, scientism, shift of educational institutions from centers of theology to centers of science and technology

5. Focusing on facts
Before the 20th century, newspapers routinely carried unverified rumors and outright fictional accounts
This was also true in literature and historiography
Concern was more with cultural usefulness than literal accuracy

6. Example: The Columbus Doors

7. Other examples of mythic “non-fiction” narrative
Sojourner Truth’s famous speech
Yellow journalism and the Spanish American War
Matthew Brady’s civil war pictures

8. At the same time…
Anxiety about growing complexity and anonymity of society
Emerging belief that science could reveal absolute truth
Excitement about photography
Inverted pyramid as the journalistic equivalent of the lab report

9. The church of objectivity
Move toward professionalization
Adoption of a creed
But like many dogmas, there are pitfalls

10. Press bias: What is it?
Common belief that media skew “left” or “right”, [ideas often not clearly defined] but most studies find that the skew is toward the establishment.
In general, bias results more from underlying cultural assumptions and business models than ideology

11. Sources of bias Advertising, publisher or sponsor pressure
Marketing focus (eg “suburban editions of papers’)
Resources devoted to original reporting
Investments in employee expertise – without independent knowledge, forced to rely on “experts”
Embedded cultural assumptions about who is most credible

12. Distinguish bias from slant
Many news organization have a particular editorial focus that might be rooted in a set of political, religious or cultural beliefs. (eg Mother Jones or Christianity Today)
They might serve a niche audience (eg Latina magazine)
Okay if they are transparent and truthful

13. Government-induced bias
Laws
Pressure exerted through control of access
Control of research (NIH HIV funding for example)
Paying for favorable coverage (illegal if the US government does it)

14. Biases as a matter of practice
“Fairness bias”
Mythic narratives
Good visuals?
Timeliness
“Glory bias”
Elite agreement?
Within the acceptable range of controversy?

15. Andrew Cline’s bias checklist
Where is the author coming from? What affiliations does he or she have?
What’s the author’s stake in the issue?
Who is paying for this?
What data’s being used? How do we know it’s valid or reliable?
Is the argument one-sided? Are others demonized?

16. Sources Andrew Cline’s Rhetorica
Lule, Jack. Daily News, Eternal Stories.
Mindich, David. Just the Facts
American Daguerrotypes