About: Objectivity and Fairness

Article: http://journalism.about.com/od/ethicsprofessionalism/a/objectivity.htm

Basically, with these steps, I’m learning how to live a drama free life.

Objectivity means that when covering hard news, reporters don’t convey their own feelings, biases or prejudices in their stories.

Fairness means that reporters covering a story must remember there are usually two sides – and often more – to most issues, and that those differing viewpoints should be given roughly equal space in any news story.

Honestly, when I read this I laughed a bit. Not because the article is funny, but of how I am able to relate to it. The rules to being a good journalist are basically the rules, you should follow for a drama free life.

Being a journalist you have to remain neutral and not let people know how you really feel about a subject. While in life, if your friends are in a fight, you have to remain a neutral party not wanting to pick sides. Otherwise the entire thing may blow up and you’ll end up losing a friend in the process. There’s always two sides to a story. One is right in its own way, just as the other. Just as objectivity plays a huge part in journalism and life, so does fairness. As there are two sides to the story, journalist have to share both of the stories without their opinion. So, then it isn’t biast and both stories have time in the spotlight. Relating that to life, friends who want to stay neutral and help out, listen to both sides of the argument. Even though they say they don’t pick a side, they pick a side, people always do. Yet that neutral person, just needs to keep a poker face and not butt in with their opinion so that opposing fires don’t grow. That isn’t always the case where opinions are kept to themselves, but is ideal.

Basically the general rules to being a good journalist are the same rules anyone should follow with life.