Credible.
Though I entered the news profession enthusiastic about this particular adjective, I’m now aware that most Americans will not see me as so.
I’ve always thought of myself as simply a documentarian, an immediate historian. I could spend each day learning as much as I can about a particular topic to relate that information back to others.
I don’t work for the money. No journalist does. The only money in the media is for the advertising departments and the publishers – revenue The Reveille reverts back to staff training and daily production.
But after stories of journalists such as the New York Times’ Jason Blair emerged this summer, I’m afraid it will be harder for me, others in my profession and news organizations to regain some of America’s trust.
In fact, an old stereotype of sleazy, slimy reporters rings true in an American Society of Newspaper Editors survey. The results show that more than three-fourths of the 1,600 adults questioned think reporters will go to any means to get a story, even if it means hurting people.
Respondents ranked reporters just above two other dreaded professionals when it comes to credibility – advertising executives and used-car salesmen.
As editor, I’ve experienced some of this negative feedback about The Reveille’s credibility. Constructive criticism and called mistakes are one thing, but when someone argues The Reveille is biased or untruthful, I take it personally.
The claims attack my judgment as an editor who learned on day one that journalism exists to convey the truth about what is happening around me. They also attack the combined effort of the 70 or so students it takes to produce the paper each day.
It is illogical to think that I could convince so many college students from such various backgrounds to subscribe to some unified agenda.
If I can only show one thing to The Reveille’s readers this semester, it is that we work hard each day to be the true campus news source you can trust.
Webster’s dictionary defines a credible thing as one that is capable of being credited or believed, worthy of belief, entitled to confidence and trustworthy.
I can argue the Reveille is capable of being credited or believed. In my history at the University and on the staff, the newspaper has been filled each day with original work sourced by first-hand reporting. Reporters are required to gather information from a minimum of three people (not including Web sites) and are always encouraged to look at problems from all perspectives.
Our news is worthy of belief. Anyone on staff caught stealing or fabricating quotes, stories, names or any other information is fired immediately. “Just make something up” or “just take it from [insert any other publication here]” is forbidden in our newsroom.
Trust in us and give us your confidence. Most of the students who contribute to The Reveille every day do so for the same reasons I do – to inform you, the campus community.
And if nothing else, take time to recognize the entire production process. Before something appears in print, three to four staff members must approve it. Pictures are never randomly placed on the front page. Editors meet each night to determine what will appear where.
We exist to help you the reader make informed decisions about the community around you and not to warp anyone into any doctrine. Topics only are covered more in our newspaper if we feel more people are affected by it.
And yes, occasionally we will make mistakes. That is what too many sleepless hours in the newsroom combined with the stresses of school will do to you. But when mistakes go uncorrected or when complaints sit unaddressed, I encourage readers to contact me personally with feedback.
And finally, I encourage anyone who still would like to argue The Reveille lacks credibility or works to present the campus with biased or untruthful information to attend our weekly management meetings on Fridays at 2:30 p.m.
In fact, all are welcome. This is your newspaper too.
Trust us: We go to college for this
August 25, 2003
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