Editorial: In News We Trust
The Occupy Wall Street demonstrations signal a restless public and frame a golden opportunity for newspapers to separate themselves from the rest of the media pack by creating an”official” league of their own. The Society of Professional Journalists ‘Code of Ethics is widely accepted and voluntarily embraced by American newspapers, but I doubt the general public is aware of these standards or if they are, they assume all media outlets abide by the code’ honorable standards.
What if newspapers visibly display their commitment to SPJ’s Code of Ethics by creating an official seal of “news integrity”? The seal could be stamped clearly on every newspaper masthead and website banner, signifying a newspaper’s moral and professional obligation to report objectively and cultivate the long and proud tradition of standing up to government and uncovering corporate corruption — a symbolic graphic defining the benefits a newspaper provides to the people for the people.
This seal would identify a newspaper as the unequaled and unrivaled source for trusted news. It would be a constant reminder to readers why it is important to invest in newspapers and to understand that free content is cheap, because accuracy and accountability are not always included.
With investigative pens pointed directly at politicians, Wall Street, and large corporations, newspapers would send a powerful message to the American public, reinforcing and redefining the critical role they play in the balance of power.
A media campaign promoting the significance of the seal could focus on how newspapers have an indispensable role in a free society, and why a dependable and trusted news source is vital for making informed and intelligent decisions.
No other group could hold a candle to the accomplishments of the newspaper industry — but sometimes people need to be reminded newspapers are the pillars of democracy and primarily why freedom of the press received its own constitutional protection. Imagine the impact of a fullpage ad listing the top investigative and enterprising stories for 2011, along with attribution to individual newspapers — opposite a completely blank page signifying original investigative and enterprising stories developed and produced by non-newspapers.
As the Web continues to expand, more and more online sites and blogs promote themselves as news “experts,” continually belittling and trumpeting the demise of newspapers. The time is now for newspapers to expose these propaganda mills and distinguish themselves as the purveyors of truth and solidify their vital role as the people’s voice, reminding Americans what you pay for news indicates how much you value freedom.
HOO-RAH!
Great idea. But in order for a person or an organization to be able to use the seal, the user must earn the right. Then, if the user violates the agreement to follow SPJ’s Code of Ethics, the right to use the seal should be retracted.