Verification in Journalism #4

I am going to begin with a favorite quote from a favorite book, "If we act the truth, the people who really love us are sure to come back to us in the long run," (Forster, A Room With a View). http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/2103.E_M_Forster
I have determined that this is probably not a bad motto with which to begin a journalist's education. In contrast to the previous week's discussion, the presentation on verification in journalism was refreshingly clear. Several principles guide the journalistic method; the journalistic method is what separates journalists from, well, those other people. The principles are as follows:
Never add anything to the story that wasn't really there; never try to deceive the audience; be as transparent as possible; rely on your own reporting and notes; exercise humility

In the in-class survey, I selected "Never deceive the audience" as the most important principle. This stemmed from my previous experiences in journalism. I wrote bimonthly movie reviews for the local newspaper. http://www.paysonroundup.com/search/?q=Lucy+Schouten+movie+reviews&sortby=date&x=0&y=0 I quickly learned that honesty was an important facet of reviewing. I lived in a small town, and people appreciated the fact that I was level with them. If I thought a movie was frightening, stupid, or overly graphic, I admitted it in print, and I was able to establish a relatively credible reputation because of it.
My view broadened throughout the presentation. I now agree with the book that transparency is the primary tool in creating credible journalism. Although some people take a "we can't get rid of bias so why even try?" attitude, I believe that is an unprofessional approach. Through honesty and scientific verification, journalism can, in the best sense, reach that hazy horizon: objectivity. In short, long-term, scientific verification can produce truthful journalism. The internet may evolve and media conglomerates may conspire, but if we as journalists "act the truth," the American audience is "sure to come back to us in the long run."