An Honest Journalist?

Ever since FOX NEWS canned Lou Dobbs for telling the truth, I’ve been wondering whether or not there are any honest journalists left in the profession.  Well, apparently… there are! 

 

Kari Lake, one of Arizona Fox 10’s top-rated news anchors, has resigned, saying she doesn’t like the direction journalism is taking. She says she’s no longer proud to be a member of the media.  “Sadly, journalism has changed a lot since I first stepped into a newsroom, and I’ll be honest, I don’t like the direction its going. The media needs more balance in coverage and a wider range of viewpoints represented in every newsroom at every level and at each position.”

 

She alludes to reading news copy that she didn’t believe was fully truthful, or which only told part of the story, and that she was “contributing to the fear and division in this country by continuing on in this profession.”

 

Journalists are trained to question everything and to be able to defend what they say on the air or put in print. When they don’t… well, failure to follow those guidelines used to send reporters to the locker rooms in shame, sometimes losing their jobs. I think back many years to a Reno weather forecast, where the “meteorologist” asserted that there was absolutely no chance of precipitation for the net 24 hours. Had he bothered to look out the window, he would have known there were already several inches of snow on the ground, with a blizzard raging.   

 

These days, you’re expected to report what you’re handed to read without question. If you balk or question such directions, you’d better have plenty of money in the bank. If, as a result of following directions, you report something that isn’t true, your company will back you up by refusing to issue a correction… no matter how blatant the untruth is. 

 

Everyone, including journalists, needs to work. Since few news outlets these days are in the mood to hire honest and truthful journalists, you had better be prepared to trash your principles and training if you want to keep food on the table.   

 

That’s why I’m particularly impressed with Kari Lake, who has the courage to face the challenges involved in reporting the facts.  Good for her! Sadly, there will be many would-be journalists willing to do whatever it takes to get her job.    

 

That’s MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.