The End of Objectivity (Version 0.91)
Dan Gillmor is arguing that we should abandon the golden standard of “Objectivity†in American Journalism. Undoubtedly some in the old guard will label him a heretic; however, like most heretics, he is being condemned for speaking the truth:
Again, the idea of objectivity is a worthy one. But we are human. We have biases and backgrounds and a variety of conflicts that we bring to our jobs every day.
Gillmor recommends that instead of worshiping the great “Oâ€, journalists should hold themselves accountable to the four pillars of good journalism: Thoroughness, Accuracy, Fairness, and Transparency. I think he’s on to something; his four pillars even make a good acronym: TAFT. Read Gillmor’s full explanation here.