There’s plenty of debate over fake news or misinformation campaigns being reported and criticized. That’s why in today’s world, if you value the truth, the onus is on you to seek out all sides of a story. You should want all sides to be heard.
Oddly, this dilemma is not new. On January 22, 1795, George Washington wrote a letter to Edmund Pendleton that stated, “When one side only of a story is heard and often repeated, the human mind becomes impressed with it insensibly.”
When one voice is parroted over and over again, it doesn’t make it right, true or just.
So when anyone suggests you listen to them, and only them, that should give you great pause, and especially when it’s a news outlet.
That’s why I was taken aback in March 2021 by the words of NBC news anchor Lester Holt when he received the Edward R. Murrow Award at the Power of Voice – 45th Murrow Symposium.
In accepting the award he said, “The unprecedented attacks on the press in this period I’m sure will fill plenty of books and be studied in classrooms, maybe even here. But I have a few early observations I’ll share on where this moment brings us and what we can learn.”
Then he continued with this odd statement.
“Number one is I think it’s become clear that fairness is overrated. Wait, before you run off and tweet that headline, let me explain a bit. The idea that we should always give two sides equal weight and merit does not reflect the world we find ourselves in. That the sun sets in the West is a fact, any contrary view does not deserve our time and attention.”
Holt actually said not to worry about hearing what the other side has to say. That’s a major red flag. He said we shouldn’t give both sides equal weight in an argument.
The facts will always hold more weight in the end, but both sides should be given equal opportunity to let their voice be heard. At least that’s how it should be in a free society – as the U.S. Constitution supports each citizen’s right to free speech.
And yes, the sun does set in the West, but the earth is also round. Once upon a time people believed the earth was flat. I for one am happy that theory was challenged.
Journalism 101 is to never make yourself part of the story. The job of a journalist is to be a neutral, third-party observer to the events of the day. Whether a fire or car crash, a city council meeting or an election outcome, or even fairly reporting on a sporting event, there are always multiple viewpoints.
Three sources – or sides to a story – are a minimum for any well-rounded news article. Or at least it used to be when I worked in newsrooms.
Three sources – or sides to a story – are necessary in the courtroom. There’s the plaintiff, the defendant, and there better be a third side to the story. Without that third-party account of events – or independent facts that support one’s innocence or guilt – it’s simply he said, she said.
It shouldn’t matter what your political ideology is when you turn on the news. You should get the unfiltered facts that are the unquestioned truth from all news outlets, however today’s reporting is too focused on one narrative. If you’re only getting one side of the story – the side that you agree with – then you’re not getting the full story.
Whatever news source you trust, be sure that you don’t trust it too much.
It’s a good idea to rely on more than one news source. And it’s definitely wise to Google more than the first search result you get before you take that information as gospel.
If you seek the truth, always seek out all three sides of the story.
