WHAT THE NEWS ISN’T TELLING YOU

Now that I have your attention, here’s the answer: nothing they do not know or cannot confirm.

Is the news media perfect? Not by any means. No one is. But are they doing their best? I believe so. The newsrooms I’ve been lucky enough to work in making every effort to ensure the stories they present to the public are factual, accurate, and balanced. 

What I’ve noticed is people wanting the news to “dig deeper”, which is fine, except I think the general public doesn’t understand what goes in to news gathering. So here are my personal insights that you need to know about how the news is reported.

As something happens, it needs to be confirmed. Usually, by an “official source”.

Speculation is bad journalism. When something serious is going down, the official sources I always relied on were the authorities – fire, police, government officials, organizational leaders, etc. These are the people who are supposed to have all the relevant information that can be shared on the record. That said, it always matters to get community members to speak on record to verify or correct what official sources are saying. There have been many instances where community members collectively are clearer in revealing the story with all the facts and information. This is especially helpful when authorities are not being reliable or aren’t being honest. With enough people who want to go on record and share details or insights, the sources of information, especially government officials or police, can be pushed to reveal more than they are giving us. So I always encourage community members to go on record if they feel comfortable.

Many times, I learned of details off the record, or by speculation, which may be true, but again it’s bad journalism to go on speculation and later find out none of it was true. Better safe than sorry and go with the confirmed facts of what is known. You should also notice attribution – where the authority or source is the one confirming details, not the news organization. Attribution should tell you where the information is coming from, for both accountability and reliability.

Time is of the essence

Every journalist is working against a clock, and the later their sources get back to them, the later information is reported. Deadlines suck because the news needs to be communicated in a timely manner, and sometimes, there’s just not enough time to get every single detail you want, nor is all the information present. So journalists go with what they have, making it clear to the audience that there is more information they may be waiting on. At the end of the day, they are left to the mercy of the sources of information for details on time. Journalists also have more responsibility on their plate now than before, with many newsrooms shrinking. That means the story has to have an even sharper focus, in a shorter time span, bringing me to my next point.

News is kept to focus on the day of

In my experience, this was especially true for TV news. I found it best to keep things simple and report what’s happening currently. That’s also the advice I was given, and for good reason. Yes, there is so much that needs to be explained, but as I mentioned above, time is not on the journalist’s side. I always told people, take the news with a grain of salt, especially TV news. Remember that what you’re watching is more about being timely and relevant. It’s got the big picture details rather than the finer ones. It’s not meant to give you every bit of historical context or background, but enough to know what is happening currently, at this time. This is why I appreciate newspapers and full-length web articles. Some reporters and their reports can go into those really small but important details to explain history, context, and results that, people who are interested in, can dive into for more. Furthermore, I encourage people to read the news as a gateway into more research they can conduct on their own. 

Balance is a hard line to strike

Journalists also live, work, and play in the same areas they’re reporting from. Like everyone, they have their own opinions, thoughts, and perspectives on what is happening in their communities. But they don’t get paid to share that. They get paid to share everyone else’s, and record things happening as they do. I found this attracts a lot of misdirected anger and frustration. For example, COVID. News media didn’t make it up, or come up with restrictions. They report based on what is going on. If you don’t like what you’re hearing, take a moment to consider where the information is coming from. I can guarantee you, many news reporters aren’t happy with how things are either, but their job is to tell you what is going on, not how to feel about it. Only you can decide how to feel about it. Now, could there be better ways of reporting? Words that aren’t as emotionally impacting? Banners and headlines that could be more neutral sounding? Sure. And that’s something you can always converse appropriately, with your local news outlets. Having a respectful dialogue helps clarify any misunderstandings. 

From time to time, news outlets miss things.

We are all human. We can’t be everywhere all the time. Neither can journalists. They also need down time to relax, re-energize, and get back to another day of sharing stories. If you have a news tip or story you think needs attention, send it. Not everything will get picked up, but the more outlets you reach out to, the more likely the story will gain traction and be followed up.

Legal and ethical barriers

“Why isn’t the news saying something the way we expect it to?” – this is SO common in comment threads. There are legal and ethical frameworks that the news needs to follow. For example, if someone is arrested for a murder, they are the alleged suspect, and are accused, because they have yet to go through the courts to be convicted. There are also numerous conversations that go on behind the scenes if the news is unable to name someone outright, because of any complications and further implications down the road and what it could do. Publication bans are also factors. There are many stories that go through lawyers for editing before they ever see the light of day.

In the end

I think the most important takeaway from all of this, is consuming news with the understanding that it’s not a perfect medium, but should give you an idea of what is happening in the world. Regardless of how you feel about something, or if a perspective has not been considered, what is happening is happening regardless. People are also finding power in their voices through so many different channels and platforms. What the news may not have the ability to share, because of legal or ethical barriers, does not mean information is not available to be shared. 

If you think the news isn’t telling you something, then maybe you can tell the news. But take into consideration all that has to happen before information can be shared from a news outlet.