A New Story or a News Story?
What is more important to you as a reader, to read something before anyone else has seen it or read a story based on accurate facts? Now, What is more important to you as a writer, to get a ‘new’ story out and deal with the facts later, or write a clear, correct and certain?
The reader will (nearly) always want to read a story that is factual and accurate, even if it means waiting an extra ten minutes for the writer to check the facts. The writer on the other hand has more interest in being the first to deal with a certain breaking story, even if it means giving inaccurate information to the public. This without doubt goes against the Journalist’s code of conduct and is the basis for determining the difference between professional and amateur news reporters.
Many journalists turn to transparency to prove the facts laid out in their article rather than turning to more careless forms of writing, known as ‘journalism of assertion.’
Transparency is necessary for journalists to build a relationship with their audience.
Journalist and Blogger Jeff Jarvis discusses transparency in the following video.
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