Sunday, October 7, 2007

Best Characteristic of A Good Reporter

5. A good reporter is honest. He seeks the truth and acts independently. He does what he says he's going to do, and doesn't do something he promised to avoid. He returns his calls, and he's willing to say no. He's obsessed with accuracy and double checks his facts with call-backs. He sees both sides to every issue. He doesn't treat people as a means to an end.

I believe that honesty is the most important aspect of a successful reporter since it encompasses exactly what the public wants: honest facts. To begin, audience can interpret issues and events as they please once the reporter has provided them with honest information. Audiences don't want opinions shoved down their throat and when reporters do take a subjective approach to reporting since it isn't always necessarily the truth. When honesty is given to the public, it allows the news companies to increase their credibility and more people are attracted to a credible news company. This is why the New York Times is such a reliable news source because they are honest by simply reporting and the company has had few cases that make them seem uncredible. Being an honest reporter enables a reporter to be ethical and it enables the public to embrace a particular news organization as a source from which knowledged can be acquired.

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