The limits of objective reporting

The aim of this study is to scrutinize the assumption that objective reporting is goodreporting, is ethical reporting. I do this by reflecting on different dimensions that areassociated with the concept of objectivity: (1) accuracy; (2) truthfulness; (3) fairness andbalance, and (4) moral neutrality. It is asserted that in many cases journalists are not objectivein their reporting either because they consciously prefer not to be or because they are beingmanipulated by their sources. I close by asserting that the values of not harming others andrespecting others should play a prominent part in the considerations of journalists. These arebasic ethical standards that sometimes require normative reporting. Consequently, morallyneutral coverage of hate speech and racism is a bad idea. It is a false and wrong conception.Subjectivity is preferable to objectivity when the media cover illiberal and anti-democraticphenomena.