Leading media executives have opted to abandon journalistic objectivity in favor of diversity, according to a study by two journalism scholars. Leonard Downie Jr., former executive editor at The Washington Post, and Andrew Heyward, former CBS News President, conducted interviews with over 75 media figures. The survey found that the media leaders believe journalists should be allowed to include their own beliefs, biases and experiences in their reporting in order to convey truth.
“Objectivity has got to go,” said Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, editor-in-chief at the San Francisco Chronicle. Downie Jr. explains that the concept of objectivity was traditionally defined by male editors in predominantly white newsrooms, creating a distorted view of reality. Some journalists feel that striving for objectivity leads to false balance or “bothsidesism,” particularly in coverage of controversial issues such as race, LGBTQ+ rights, and climate change.
According to Downie Jr., journalists of color and those in the LGBTQ community feel that striving for objectivity negates their own experiences and identities, making it harder for them to accurately report the truth. “It’s objective by whose standard? … That standard seems to be White, educated, and fairly wealthy,” noted Kathleen Carroll, former executive editor at the Associated Press.
The New York Times executive editor Joseph Kahn believes that the media should not default to neutral language, but instead be direct with readers when there is evidence of racism or falsehoods. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times has allowed their staff to write personal essays that reflect their identities, said editor Kevin Merida. USA Today’s editor-in-chief, Nicole Carroll, has similarly welcomed diverse journalists to express their experiences when reporting on newsworthy topics.
Downie Jr. concludes that “What we found has convinced us that truth-seeking news media must move beyond whatever ‘objectivity’ once meant to produce more trustworthy news.” He sees this shift as the beginning of a new era in American journalism.
