2020/06/15 by Christopher Meyers · 1 citation
Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · #Media Studies and Communication #Social Media and Politics #Rhetoric and Communication Studies
paper · doi:10.1080/23736992.2020.1780131
openalex publication_date 2020/06/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2025/11/06
Objective reporting was once among the foundational norms of U.S. journalism. The emergence of alternative and economically successful partisan models exemplified by Fox News, talk radio, and a range of online sources has forced reconsideration of this norm. In this paper I argue that responsible reporting can also be partisan; the proper standard is not (putative) objectivity, but a commitment to fulfill the public’s right to know through accurate and comprehensive reporting. I further argue, however, that the embrace of partisanship fulfills the public good only if, first, it meets the accurate and comprehensive standards and, second, there is a wide range of sources so that committed news consumers can gain an appropriately broad perspective.