News, by definition, is a report of recent events, trends and topics of interest to the public. But what happens when that news sparks controversy?
When a political candidate says something that offends a group of people, or violent crime numbers rise in your town, what do news outlets do? The answer is, they report on those recent events.
The world-renowned news anchor Walter Cronkite once said that as journalists, “Our job is only to hold up the mirror—to tell and show the public what has happened.”
As a news publication, Campus Current has a duty to report the news, regardless of opinion or controversy.
When a news outlet reports on the news, that does not mean it condones the actions of that candidate or supports violent crime. When a news publication quotes a source with an inflammatory opinion, it doesn’t mean the newspaper’s editorial staff endorses that opinion.
Ideally, when journalists report and write news, their opinions are kept separate from the story itself. This extends to which stories get covered as well.
Campus Current strives to be that kind of unbiased, nonjudgmental news outlet that people can trust to tackle controversial topics that students are talking about.
If newspaper editors chose not to publish a story because they disagree with what their sources say, that would be biased, and in some cases, harmful.
Imagine if that politician said something offensive and it did not get covered in the news because it was offensive. Prospective voters wouldn’t be properly informed and might vote for a candidate who doesn’t represent their views.
That’s why the news is important. We all rely on it to know what exactly is going on in the world, our communities and our college.
The public has a right to know exactly what is going on. They have a right to know the truth, even if they don’t agree with it.
And at Campus Current, our first obligation is to the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.