Dear News Sources: Just Tell Me The Facts | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Dear News Sources: Just Tell Me The Facts

Journalism has become too much of a gossip magazine.

6
Dear News Sources: Just Tell Me The Facts

I never really cared for journalism until I came to college. I started writing for my school's newspaper, and I really loved it. I was able to give voices to people and tell stories that otherwise would not have been told. I went to interesting events and met some amazing people along the way.

I thought I had found what I wanted to do with my life. I was going to be a reporter. I knew that the newspaper industry was dying, but online journalism was big, and I could settle for that. I threw myself fully into the school's paper and furiously applied for journalism internships, even landing one with the paper in my school's town.

My school's paper has certain style rules that help ensure we stay objective. I'm sure there are ways to skew things one way or the other, but these rules make it hard. We can't editorialize at all. We can only say "[Person] said" because any other word might be editorializing the way in which this person said their quote, and it could change the meaning of the quote. Even when we are paraphrasing, we can't deviate from what the person said or add anything to describe the person. It doesn't make for the prettiest writing, but people can't just spin certain stories to adhere with their views and beliefs.

Over the years, and especially during this last election season, I've seen the decline of journalism. There are instances of such poor reporting or such blatant editorializing that I can't believe people ever saw it and thought, "Yes! This. This is what we NEED to print."

I expect this from the biased news sources, but now, even the supposedly "objective" news sources have started doing it. Sometimes, it's just a small detail that shapes how the person reads it. Even when the detail isn't a big deal and is actually true, it does slip into editorializing and compromises the objectivity of the reporter and the news source.

Honestly, most news sources have become nothing better than tabloids and gossip magazines. Instead of telling me the facts, these sources want to add their opinions, or even stray from the important information and tell me about the people themselves.

Guess what? I don't care what Melania Trump looked like at any event. I don't care about most things being reported anymore.

News needs to be just that: news. Tell me the facts. Tell me what happened. I don't need the fluff. Let me form my own opinions.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
girl with a hat

This is for the girls who have dealt with an emotionally, mentally, physically or verbally abusive father.

The ones who have grown up with a false lens of what love is and how relationships should be. The ones who have cried themselves to sleep wondering why he hurts you and your family so much. This is for all the girls who fall in love with broken boys that carry baggage bigger than their own, thinking it's their job to heal them because you watched your mother do the same.

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf Quote
"DESTINY IS FOR LOSERS. IT'S JUST A STUPID EXCUSE TO WAIT FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN INSTEAD OF MAKING THEM HAPPEN." - BLAIR WALDORF.

The world stopped in 2012 when our beloved show "Gossip Girl" ended. For six straight years, we would all tune in every Monday at 9:00 p.m. to see Upper Eastside royalty in the form of a Burberry headband clad Blair Waldorf. Blair was the big sister that we all loved to hate. How could we ever forget the epic showdowns between her and her frenemy Serena Van Der Woodsen? Or the time she banished Georgina Sparks to a Christian summer camp? How about that time when she and her girls took down Bart Bass? Blair is life. She's taught us how to dress, how to be ambitious, and most importantly, how to throw the perfect shade.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

11 Moments Every College Freshman Has Experienced

Because we made it, and because high school seniors deserve to know what they're getting themselves into

392
too tired to care

We've all been there. From move-in day to the first finals week in college, your first term is an adventure from start to finish. In honor of college decisions coming out recently, I want to recap some of the most common experiences college freshmen experience.

1. The awkward hellos on move-in day.

You're moving your stuff onto your floor, and you will encounter people you don't know yet in the hallway. They live on your floor, so you'll awkwardly smile and maybe introduce yourself. As you walk away, you will wonder if they will ever speak to you again, but don't worry, there's a good chance that you will make some great friends on your floor!

Keep Reading...Show less
laptop
Unsplash

The college years are a time for personal growth and success. Everyone comes in with expectations about how their life is supposed to turn out and envision the future. We all freak out when things don't go exactly as planned or when our expectations are unmet. As time goes on, we realize that the uncertainty of college is what makes it great. Here are some helpful reminders about life in college.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Lessons I Learned My Freshman Year

The first year of college opens your eyes to so many new experiences.

69
johnson hall
Samantha Sigsworth

Recently I completed my freshman year of college, and boy, what an experience. It was a completely new learning environment and I can't believe how much I learned. In an effort to save time, here are the ten biggest lessons I learned from my first year of college.

1. Everyone is in the same boat

For me, the scariest part of starting school was that I was alone, that I wouldn't be able to make any friends and that I would stick out. Despite being told time and time again that everyone had these same feelings, it didn't really click until the first day when I saw all the other freshman looking as uneasy and uncomfortable as me. Therefore, I cannot stress this enough, everyone is feeling as nervous as you.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments