Beyond

Objectivity
Producing
trustworthy
news in today’s
newsrooms
 Beyond
Objectivity:
Producing
Trustworthy News
in Today’s
Newsrooms

by Leonard Downie, Jr.

and Andrew Heyward

Additional reporting by

Rian Bosse, Stephen Kilar,

Kristina Vera-Phillips,

and Autriya Maneshni

Introduction
What does it mean today for a journalist or news
coverage to be “objective”? Could or should that even
be a goal any longer? If not, as we have concluded, how
might you create a new set of standards for trustworthy
news?

Today, the traditional concept of journalistic “objectivity”

is under attack on multiple fronts. Cable news has
turned the blurring of news and polarized opinion
into a successful business model. Politicians have
demonized mainstream media as “fake news.” Outright
misinformation and disinformation, exacerbated by
social media, have distorted the public’s perception
of reality. And, when misunderstood, journalistic
“objectivity” or “balance” can lead to so-called “both-
sides-ism” – a dangerous trap when covering issues like
climate change or the intensifying assault on democracy.

At the same time, some news media reformers deride

“objectivity” as an unachievable or misleading goal,
and many journalism practitioners no longer use the
term. Newsroom leaders are confronting a generation
of increasingly diverse young journalists struggling to
reconcile traditional news standards with their concepts
of “cultural context,” “identity,” “point of view,” and
“advocacy journalism.”

Restoring a belief in the value of fair, fact-based reporting

– trustworthy news – is arguably more important
than ever. Surveys consistently show that most news
consumers want journalism that is free of bias. And
reliable news coverage is a cornerstone of democracy.
But that requires a fresh vision for how to achieve that
goal – a vision that replaces outmoded “objectivity” with
a more relevant articulation of journalistic standards.

That is what you are about to read: a contemporary

case for trustworthy news reporting. It builds on the
history of how concepts like “objectivity” have evolved,
flourished and flagged in American journalism. It draws
on insights from the best practices and best practitioners at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass
across print, digital and broadcast news organizations. Communication at Arizona State University, who have
It integrates the core principles of fact-based journalism done their own research into these issues: Rian Bosse,
with other important values in today’s changing Stephen Kilar, Kristina Vera-Phillips, and Autriya
newsroom cultures. Maneshni, respectively.

We start with the story of how we got here – and why the We are grateful to the Stanton Foundation for
traditional notion of objectivity has lost its power underwriting this report, and we look forward to the
to define the highest standards of journalism. We end second phase of the project, in which we will bring
with a “playbook” for producing trustworthy news in our “playbook” to working newsrooms around the
today’s newsrooms. United States.

We provide actionable guidelines to help newsroom Our hope is to create a living document that enables
leaders: move beyond accuracy to truth; unlock the real newsrooms to work to the highest standards but also
power of diversity, inclusion and identity; create a credible addresses the day-to-day concerns of today’s and
policy for journalists’ social media and political activities; tomorrow’s news leaders and journalists in a fast-
focus on essential original reporting; show your work as changing reality. The mission to produce trustworthy
an integral part of the journalism process; and develop a news will never end. But it has to start somewhere.
set of core values for the newsroom to live by.

This report is based on more than 75 interviews with a Leonard Downie Jr.
variety of news leaders, journalists, and other experts, as Andrew Heyward
well as our own experience as lifelong journalists and a
large body of scholarship. We worked with an invaluable Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass
team of three doctoral students and one undergraduate Communication Arizona State University

2
3
How we
got here

4
“Objectivity” is defined by most leading dictionaries as “With interested parties seeking control of newspaper
expressing or using facts without distortion by personal content, the reporters insisted that they would bow to no
beliefs, bias, feelings or prejudice. Journalistic objectivity one and nothing but to their own ethic of disinterested,
has been generally understood to mean much the same fact-based, balanced, and fair-minded reporting,”
thing, although accuracy, fairness, and balance have Schudson wrote in The News Media: What Everyone
variously been mentioned with it over the years. Needs to Know. “This new model of professional
journalism, often called ‘objective’ reporting at the time and
In fact, the concept of journalistic objectivity has never
after, was further institutionalized and maintained because
been formally defined or codified in any enforceable
it served newspaper editors as a kind of discipline for
professional standards, which do not exist for American
directing and controlling their increasingly large staffs of
journalism under the First Amendment. Yet, until relatively
young reporters learning their trade on the job.”
recently, objectivity has been generally accepted as a
guiding principle in news reporting for about a century, For many decades, there was consensus about the
roughly during and since World War I. concept of objectivity in mainstream media newsrooms,
including government-regulated radio and television.
Its origins are murky, as the American press gradually
News and opinion were kept largely separate, with opinion
evolved from small partisan and commercial sheets and
labeled as such. Newsroom staffs and leadership were
newspapers to mass audience dailies supported by
virtually all white and male, and their news coverage
advertising and readers. Perhaps the best explanation
reflected that. What reporting there was about women
comes from Columbia University Journalism School
was mostly relegated to “women’s pages.” Coverage of
professor Michael Schudson, a leading news historian.
Black and immigrant communities was largely left to ethnic
He has cited American journalists’ adverse reaction to
newspapers.
both government propaganda during World War I and
an aggressive new domestic public relations industry as In the second half of the twentieth century, the concept
leading to an “objective reporting” movement. of journalistic objectivity became steadily tested by the

5
challenges of covering McCarthyism and the Red Scare,
the civil rights movement and violent opposition to it in
the South, urban uprisings and their underlying causes
in cities across the country, and the Vietnam War and
anti-war movement. Publication of the Pentagon Papers
in 1971 prompted more skeptical coverage of the federal
government. The role of the press in the Watergate
scandal and President Nixon’s resignation in 1974
spawned widespread aggressive investigative reporting
of all kinds that continues today. There was more
news analysis, mostly labeled, and more colorful “new
journalism” writing in some newspaper feature sections.

Yet, the concept of “objectivity” – including “balance”

– was still considered the standard by the leadership
of most print and broadcast news media. For example,
early stories about scientific evidence of climate change
and the role of human behavior were often “balanced”
with the views of climate change deniers. When asked in
surveys, readers said they expected the news media to
report “both sides” of stories.

Gender and racial integration of newsrooms finally

began in recent decades. But it was relatively slow,
and it had not percolated up to the senior leadership
of newsrooms, which were still effectively top-down
workplaces. Yet, as early as the turbulent 1960s, some
younger journalists, especially investigative reporters,
began to question what objectivity really meant if it did
not challenge power, privilege and inequality.

New challenges to the status quo of journalistic

objectivity came with cable television, and then,
more profoundly, the internet. Cable television, which
is outside federal regulation of over-the-air media,
produced highly opinionated news networks, including
Fox News and others on the right and MSNBC on
the left. The internet, including social media, became
filled with opinionated information and misinformation.
Both also offered opportunities for mainstream media
“It’s objective by media. As did, more recently, an increasing number of
start-up local, regional and national nonprofit news sites
whose standards? And on the internet. Collaborations of various kinds among
that standard seems to news media to share reporting resources, unheard of not
be white, educated, fairly long ago, became more commonplace.

wealthy guys. And when At the same time, American society has been in upheaval
people don’t feel like they over discrimination against and abuse of women,
find themselves in news abortion rights, persistent racism and white nationalism,
police brutality and killings, the rights and treatment of
coverage, it’s because they
LGBTQ+ people, income inequality and social problems,
don’t meet that definition.” immigration and the treatment of immigrants, the causes
and impact of climate change, voting rights and election
Kathleen Carroll, integrity – and even the survival of our democracy.
Former executive editor, Reporting reliably on all of this has critically challenged
The Associated Press mainstream media newsrooms, and it has called into
question their diversity, tradition of objectivity, and
credibility as sources for news.

journalists to offer opinions that sometimes appeared

contrary to journalistic objectivity.

As Americans grew increasingly ideologically divided,

The mainstream media “has allowed what it considers
they came to believe primarily the media with which they
objective truth to be decided almost exclusively by white
agreed – and to disregard the rest as disinformation. This
reporters and their mostly white bosses,” Wesley Lowery,
was greatly exacerbated by politicians and ideologues
an influential 32-year-old Black Pulitzer Prize-winning
who demonized the mainstream news media as “fake
journalist, has written. “And those selective truths have
news.” Opinion polls recorded new lows for the American
been calibrated to avoid offending the sensibilities of
public’s trust in the news media.
white readers.”
Meanwhile, the business and audience models of news
“I’m not arguing for subjectivity,” Lowery said in an
media were changing radically. Newspapers lost much
interview for this report. “I’m actually whole-heartedly
of their print audience and advertising to the internet.
endorsing objectivity as properly defined; the argument is
Many papers were bought by large chain owners that
that, in practice, that’s not what it is.”
maximized profits by drastically reducing the sizes of their
newsrooms. Most television stations also were bought by Some white male newsroom leaders still use the word
chains, while the three major networks (and stations they objectivity, although their concepts of it vary. New York
owned) were bought by large entertainment corporations. Times executive editor Joseph Kahn rejects its use to
Nonprofit National Public Radio and local public radio (and achieve “neutrality” or “both sides” balance in stories that
some public television) stations became significant news do not reflect reality. “There is no such thing as perfect

7
8
neutrality, and defaulting to ‘both sides’ framing on divisive Sentinel local news website and founding chair of Local
issues can be insufficient and misleading,” Kahn said in Independent Online News Publishers, said in response
an interview with New York magazine. “But the journalistic to a survey of journalists conducted for this project.
process needs to be objective and transparent, and “That’s why, both in my newsroom and in my work on
we need to challenge ourselves and our readers to SPJ’s [Society of Professional Journalists] Professional
understand all the facts and explore a wider range of Standards and Ethics Committee, I push to avoid the use
perspectives.” of a term that can be used to detract from journalism’s
pursuit of the truth.”
However, Kathleen Carroll, former executive editor of
the Associated Press, said she has not used the word
objectivity since the early 1970s because she believes it
reflects the world view of the male white establishment.

“It’s objective by whose standards? And that standard “The journalist’s job is
seems to be white, educated, fairly wealthy guys,” she truth, not objectivity. It is
explained. “And when people don’t feel like they find getting close to the reality,
themselves in news coverage, it’s because they don’t
notwithstanding that we all
meet that definition.”
have biases and passions.”
Andrew Mendelson, associate dean of CUNY’s Craig
Newmark School of Journalism, agreed that the standard Neil Barsky,
of objectivity has been used to reinforce the status quo Founder
in news coverage. “You could then throw a word like The Marshall Project
objectivity around and say, ‘Well, that’s not objective.’” he
said. “That’s a quick way of shutting down and sending
a message that this is not suitable. That’s a very good
power dynamic in the word objectivity. It’s the same as
“Objectivity is not even possible,” said Stephen
saying, ‘You’re being an advocate,’ and that quickly shuts
Engelberg, editor-in-chief of ProPublica, the national
down any dissent.”
investigative journalism nonprofit. “I don’t even know what
NYU professor and journalism critic Jay Rosen has it means.”
famously disdained the traditional concept of objectivity
“The journalist’s job is truth, not objectivity,” said Neil
“as a form of persuasion in which journalists tried to get us
Barsky, founder of The Marshall Project, an influential
to accept their account by saying something like, ‘I don’t
nonprofit news organization that investigates the
have a point of view, I don’t have a starting point, I don’t
criminal justice system. “It is getting close to the reality,
have a philosophy, I don’t have an ideology. I’m just telling
notwithstanding that we all have biases and passions.”
you the way it is. So believe it, because this is the way it is.’
That’s the view from nowhere.” “Objectivity” is news coverage “through the lens of
largely white, straight men,” said Emily Ramshaw,
“Objectivity enforces the ‘view from nowhere’ as a norm,”
40-year-old co-founder of The 19th national news
Dylan Smith, editor and publisher of the nonprofit Tucson

9
website, the stated mission of which is “to elevate voices “The consensus among
of women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community.”
younger journalists is that
“The 19th is light years away from my early career clinging we got it all wrong. We are
to the myth of objectivity,” Ramshaw said in an interview.
the problem. Objectivity
“The voices in stories were overwhelmingly white and
male,” she explained, “as well as the leadership and has got to go.”
decision-making in most newsrooms.”
Emilio Garcia-Ruiz,
When asked whether a relatively recent increase in Editor-in-chief,
female top editors and executives of news media has San Francisco Chronicle
produced any change from “white male” dominance of
newsrooms, Julia Wallace, a Cronkite School professor
and former editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
said, “Not really. When women are in charge, there is not
The San Francisco Chronicle, said in an interview. “We
that much change. Women who made it to the top were
are the problem. Objectivity has got to go.” The younger
operating by men’s rules.
journalists in the Chronicle newsroom “are a very diverse
“Objectivity was wrong, a failed concept,” she said. “It was group,” Garcia-Ruiz explained. “They are willing to share
a mistake to head down the path of dishonest objectivity.” their lived experiences to call out bullshit, despite their
As an example, she cited a history of racist reporting status in the newsroom. There can sometimes be a
about subjects like lynchings in the South. “We pretended chasm between them and the older veteran reporters.”
we were printing the truth when we were seeing the world
“I think there is an age divide growing,” said Erik Hall, a St.
through a certain lens.”
Louis Post-Dispatch sports editor who is a board member
Wallace added, “Now, it has to be about changing of NLGJA, the Association of LGBTQ Journalists. “I think
the culture.” more veteran journalists think ‘objective’ means tell both
sides. And I think a younger generation is coming up
feeling strongly that, on some issues, there is a fair way to
tell it, and telling both sides isn’t the fair, or fairest, way to
tell a story.”
That is what reporters in some newsrooms are trying to
do. A growing number of journalists of color and younger Mark Fisher, a veteran senior journalist at The Washington
white reporters, including LGBTQ+ people, believe that Post, described in an interview what he saw as “a
objectivity has become an increasingly outdated and generational conflict that has emerged between younger
divisive concept that prevents truly accurate reporting folks who want to practice journalism that matches their
informed by their own backgrounds, experiences and personal views and older folks who want to maintain
points of view. traditional standards of fairness and rigor. There is a
generation of folks coming into the newsroom with great
“The consensus among younger journalists is that we skills and their own views, seeking more advocacy for
got it all wrong,” Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, editor-in-chief of their views of the correct side in stories. They want to

10
infuse stories with the language of the reporter.
They say we should not be reflecting both sides, but
what they see as reality. They object to objectivity as
morally bankrupt.”

Asked about this assessment, Post executive editor

Sally Buzbee said, “There is some confusion about
the value of good reporting versus point of view.
Among some of our journalists, there is a desire to
change the world in some specific ways. Climate
change, immigration and education are examples. It’s
not primarily a generational point of view. It’s not fair
and accurate to say it is all young people.

“Advocacy in newsrooms is a real issue,” Buzbee

added. “We don’t pretend that it is not a problem. We
won’t be scared to address it forthrightly. We don’t
come down on the side of a traditional point of view.
We stress the value of reporting – what you are able
to dig up – so you (the reader) can make up your mind.
We spend a lot of time on this issue.”

Yet, Buzbee no longer uses the word objectivity

“because it has become a political football. If the term
objectivity means the world view of middle-aged
white men, it has become attacked as a word that is
used to keep the status quo.”

“Objectivity is not a very useful word,” said Steve Coll,

former dean of the Columbia Journalism School. “It is
a legacy that younger journalists rightfully question.”

“The word itself is so fraught and subject to debate,”

said Philadelphia Inquirer editor Gabe Escobar,
explaining why he does not use it. “The younger
journalist cohort is more vocal and more demanding
on accountability,” he added. “They hold us
accountable, and they challenge what they think is too
restrictive.”
 reflect its four-county region in Florida. As of the February
2022 update, the Times newsroom was 51 per cent
women and 24 per cent people of color, still below the 34
That cohort at The Inquirer and many other news per cent racial diversity of its region. It has held newsroom
organizations is becoming more diverse, if not necessarily diversity and inclusion training sessions and created a
representative of the diversity in their communities or program in which veteran staff members mentor younger
the country. ones. It also has established a newsroom “leadership
pipeline, in which potential managers are groomed to
Among the most diverse is USA Today, where the
step into positions of authority,” according to the goals
newsroom staff is over 50 per cent women and 37 per
statement.
cent journalists of color, according to its most recent
quarterly diversity report. Engelberg said ProPublica’s
staff is also over 50 per cent female and 40 per cent
journalists of color. However, he added that “we would like
to have more Hispanics, more people who are devoutly
“This is not just the right thing
religious, more people who have been in the military.”
to do. It’s also the right thing
Escobar said The Philadelphia Inquirer’s newsroom and its
to do for the business. This
leadership are now 45 and 48 per cent female and non-
binary, and over 30 per cent journalists of color. However,
is going to help us be a more
the paper has been criticized recently for not having any effective and trustworthy
Black male reporters outside its sports department. news organization.”
The San Francisco Chronicle’s newsroom is 47 per cent
Cesar Conde,
female and 34 per cent journalists of color, according to
Chairman,
its most recent staff census. Garcia-Ruiz said his direct
NBCUniversal News Group
reports include four white men and women and four men
and women of color.

Kevin Merida, executive editor of the Los Angeles Times,

said he has prioritized the diversity of his newsroom
leadership team, including a Latino deputy managing Rene Sanchez, the new editor of the New Orleans Times-
editor for state and local news, a Black video editor, a Picayune and The Advocate of Baton Rouge, said he is
Latina audio editor, “the only Latina sports editor in the working with HBCUs, including locally Xavier and Dillard,
country,” and a Palestinian-American head of the digital “to form a pipeline for interns and beginning reporters.
news operation. “It has been easy to find and identify We intend to reach out to more of them throughout the
people inside and outside,” he said. “We’re always South.”
exploring people in the newsroom, people on the rise.”
“You’re going to be more accurate if your newsroom has
At the Tampa Bay Times, its 15 Diversity Goals, adopted more kinds of different people in it,” said Kathleen Carroll,
in February 2020, set a goal for its newsroom diversity to the former AP executive editor.

12
When Cesar Conde took over as Chairman of the NBCU
News Group in 2020, he announced the “50% Challenge
Initiative” for the group, which comprises NBC News,
MSNBC, and CNBC. It set staff diversity goals of 50 per
“We’ve always talked about
cent women and 50 per cent people of color. After two diversity in terms of skin
years, Conde’s group is more than half women and nearly color. And I’m not diminishing
34 per cent people of color.
that in any way. But there
“This is not just the right thing to do. It’s also the right really is a lack of diversity
thing to do for the business. This is going to help us be
of religion; there’s a lack of
a more effective and trustworthy news organization,”
Conde said in an interview. “Because at the end of the
diversity of where people
day, we are trying to serve all of the communities in went to school; there’s a lack
the U.S. and around the world. And in order to more of geographic diversity.”
effectively serve all of the communities that we aspire to
serve, we have to represent them.” Jeff Zucker,
Former president,
“Do we have a fair mix of those perspectives, of those
CNN Worldwide
stories across the organization as a whole?” asked
Noah Oppenheim, at the time president of NBC News,
emphasizing the importance of newsroom diversity of
all kinds. “I think you arrive at that mix not by hiring all the
same people or making everyone conform to the same
really is a lack of diversity of religion; there’s a lack of
point of view,” he said in an interview.
diversity of where people went to school; there’s a lack of
“But you arrive at that mix by taking the 30,000-foot geographic diversity.”
point of view and making sure you have a room full of
people that have a diversity of perspective. And then
what ends up on the air or on our platforms is going to be
as diverse as the room it came from.”
NYU’s Jay Rosen has pointed out what he sees as a
Oppenheim added that he began hiring journalists who “contradiction” in efforts to diversify newsrooms, in
live away from the coastal elites, some of them former which journalists hired for their differing identities and life
print reporters from local newspapers, and encouraging experiences may be expected to put them aside when
them to stay in their home cities, creating regional working. That contradiction is what many in the new
diversity and “trying to make sure that we are covering generation of journalists are rebelling against.
the stories that matter to a wide range of communities.”
Sean McLaughlin, vice president of news for Scripps
“We’ve always talked about diversity in terms of skin broadcast stations, acknowledged a tension between
color. And I’m not diminishing that in any way” said Jeff “being completely objective” and the pressure for
Zucker, former president of CNN Worldwide. “But there journalists to be “more authentic and more human and

13
more real.” Scripps has “constant seminars and trainings be more communicative of their feelings on the air. They
on ‘be yourself’ and ‘bring yourself to work’ and ‘be are allowed to show impact but remain professional in
comfortable,’” he said. “But, then, in your on-air work, their roles.”
would that be viewed as having a bias or a lack of ability to
Julia B. Chan, editor-in-chief of The 19th, said in an
be objective in covering news stories? It’s a tricky area.”
interview that she encourages journalists to bring their
Kathleen Carroll believes newsroom leaders should full, lived experiences to the newsroom. “We need
be understanding about this and deal with it on a to recognize that journalists are human beings with
case-by-case basis. “I think identity already influences feelings, thoughts, and experiences that inform and
assignments and decisions, and that we should be very inspire the way in which they share with the world,
open about it,” she said. “And I don’t mean that I have to and how all of these things benefit the reporting and
put my entire resume at the bottom of every story. But I journalism they create — they add nuance, context and
think forbidding or holding people back from assignments perspective to the work.”
ought to be very individual and specific.”
In some newsrooms, “it’s going to involve changing
“What we always challenge our journalists to do is to some ways we’ve done things for a very long time to
recognize that you have a bias, and to check the bias at
the door,” Scott Livingston, who oversees 72 newsrooms
as senior vice president of Sinclair Broadcast Group, said
in an interview. “But bring that diversity of thought to the
editorial meeting or the content strategy session, so that “We need to recognize that
other people can understand that there are multiple ideas journalists are human beings
or opinions regarding a certain story. And then that opens
with feelings, thoughts, and
the door to me to be a little bit more curious to learn why
someone may think that way that leads to objectivity, if experiences that inform
you will, because of those other voices that may be in the and inspire the way in which
editorial process.” they share with the world,
One advocate of increasing diversity in newsrooms, and how all of these things
Maxine Crooks, vice president for talent strategy benefit the reporting and
and development for ABC-owned television stations, said
journalism they create —
that bringing in “more voices” enhances coverage and
can build more trust with news audiences. She explained
they add nuance, context and
that her ideal newsroom culture is one that allows diverse perspective to the work.”
journalists to share their perspectives, even on stories
they are not covering, and that encourages reporters to Julia B. Chan,
dig deeper and look for nuance. Editor-in-chief,
The 19th
“Since COVID and racial reckoning,” Crooks said, “people
understand that reporters are people. They’re allowed to

14
get to that point,” McLaughlin said. He advised holding “a report. “Editors recognize that we operate both with
little more candid discussions in our newsrooms” about and for the community. We’re integral members of our
this. “What are things we can talk about in these kinds neighborhoods, towns and overarching communities, not
of discussions? And what’s not? What’s personal? And just the journalists sitting on the sidelines, not allowed to
what’s part of me as my profession?” take part in the bigger picture. Our identities help shape
our coverage, and our presence in our communities helps
“It would be a bad decision to tell people they can’t cover
us make them better, along with helping us recognize
a certain subject because they’ve had experience with
their shortcomings.”
that subject,” Steve Coll said in an interview while he was
still the Columbia Journalism School dean. “There should “As a journalist of color, I have been told time and again
be agreement by the reporter that past experiences will that my identity doesn’t matter, that I have to shed it all
not color that reporting. Some young journalists now say to worship at the altar of objectivity,” said Saeed Ahmed,
that their experiences will affect how they cover the story. former director of digital news at NPR. “I bristle at that
That function should be to collect evidence about it. That notion. My lived experiences should inform what I cover.”
is reporting-led journalism.”
Ahmed said that, at multiple times in his career,
At the same time, Coll added, editors need to engage with editors have made story assignments based on false
young journalists of color – and consider “broader ideas assumptions about his identity. “I was assigned to cover
of formats for new voices. All the talent in a newsroom a pro-Palestinian rally by one editor, only to be taken off a
needs to be recognized in the core news product.” story by another editor who said I couldn’t be ‘objective,’”
he recalled. “I am not Palestinian, nor an Arab. This
New York Times editor Joseph Kahn said in an interview
for this report that he relies on daily discussions about
sensitive stories. “How does that kind of collective group
of reporters and editors who are involved feel that it adds
up, that the collective coverage adds up as a statement “As a journalist of color, I
of our overall kind of empathy, openness, fairness on have been told time and
this question?” He pointed out that claiming complete
again that my identity doesn’t
neutrality could erode news consumers’ trust in a news
organization. “I don’t think we’re all completely neutral
matter, that I have to shed it
individuals who come to this as sort of blank slates, and all to worship at the altar of
to pretend otherwise, to our readers or our viewers, I think objectivity. I bristle at that
contributes to a sense that we are not being completely
notion. My lived experiences
forthcoming.”
should inform what I cover.”
“Conflicts of interest always need to be avoided, though
journalists’ life experiences and identities may make Saeed Ahmed,
them an ideal person to tell a specific story,” Kimberly Former director of digital news at NPR
Cataudella, a Raleigh News & Observer reporter,
said in a response to the survey of journalists for this

16
assertion was made simply because I had a Muslim- run diverse affinity groups – women, Black and Hispanic
sounding name.” journalists, LGBTQ journalists, even those who are
parents – for conversations with each other and with
management about coverage and other issues. “It’s
about figuring out how we use the full self of anyone in the
newsroom to help tell important stories that they might be
Some news leaders are making significant changes in
more knowledgeable about, more aware of,” Maushard
their newsrooms to meet the challenges detailed in this
said in an interview, “but also with the team of people and
report. They are creating new avenues of communication
those systems that are in place – your editors who are
among reporters and editors, newsroom staff affinity
checking for facts, but also checking for fairness.”
groups and caucuses, plans and progress for newsroom
and coverage diversity, and increasing numbers of staff After a June 2020 crisis at The Philadelphia Inquirer over a
meetings. “Buildings Matter, Too” headline on a story about protests
of the police killing of George Floyd, the newspaper
At USA Today, Nicole Carroll said she seeks diversity
commissioned a Temple University audit of its staff and
of participants, experiences, and views in daily
coverage. Its research “revealed a body of content that
“brainstorming sessions” about news coverage. “We
overrepresented white and male voices” and “sourcing
need diversity of opinion when we talk about things” like
norms and editing traditions (that) favored an imagined
“deciding what stories to pursue,” she explained.
print reader who was older, whiter, wealthier, and more
When relevant for the subjects being discussed, Carroll suburban.”
said she invites journalists from appropriate newsroom
The Inquirer hired a newspaper vice president for
affinity groups, and she responds to those who come
diversity, equity and inclusion and promoted Gabe
to her with suggestions or concerns, including Afro-
Escobar to be the paper’s editor. He created newsroom
American group members about race coverage, Asian-
working groups of 70 to 80 volunteer members to
American group members about coverage of attacks on
analyze content, coverage, and newsroom culture – with
Asian-Americans, and LGBTQ+ group members about
a steering committee that includes Escobar.
transgender coverage. Carroll said that Gannett, USA
Today’s owner, has numerous such “Employee Resource “They do research, talk to other newsrooms and make
Groups” at many of its papers. recommendations for steps we should take,” Escobar
said in an interview. They produced and Escobar
Carroll added that she and her newsroom leaders “have
implemented a detailed “Anti-Racist Workflow Guide”
found more value in diverse people’s lived experiences”
that covers story generation, reporting, content creation,
in these discussions. She said there are no prohibitions
editing and presentation. He also created a “content
against staff members working on stories involving their
consult channel” on the newsroom’s Slack network, on
identities or life experiences unless they demonstrate a
which anyone can ask the newsroom to weigh in on an
strong bias.
assignment or story. Escobar said any issues that arise
Barbara Maushard, senior vice president of news at are “usually satisfactorily resolved” by reporters and
Hearst Television, said Hearst has established employee- editors, sometimes without his intervention.

17
At the San Francisco Chronicle, Emilio Garcia-Ruiz said He cited a Latina reporter’s personal story about the
he has encouraged members of the staff to raise any low vaccination rate in her community, and a gay police
concerns with him and his managing editor/director of reporter’s personal story about his own gay marriage and
news. “We talk to reporters and re-edit things on our a potential U.S. Supreme Court threat to the legality of gay
site,” he said. “It’s an informal group of folks – about half a marriages.
dozen younger people in the newsroom who want to be
heard when they see something. They take it privately
to the director of news. We get back to them to discuss
it. Issues are raised (about stories) without the reporters
who wrote them being publicly pilloried. We’ve set up a CBS News established a Race and Culture Unit in July

structure to surface issues without blowing up the room.” 2020, with the mission of promoting diverse perspectives
in coverage. Its executive producer, Alvin Patrick, said in
“When changes in policy are being considered,” Garcia- an interview that people of color are finally being listened
Ruiz added, “we take it to the room for discussion, as was to and valued in newsrooms in a way they weren’t when
recently done about establishing a policy on sufficiently he broke into the network news business.
checking out what police say before reporting it.”
“I don’t think anyone can go back and say, ‘Oh, my
At the Tampa Bay Times, editor Mark Katches said he goodness, the broadcast networks were holding
formed a diversity committee of editors and reporters, lynchings in the newsroom’ or whatever. No, that’s not
chaired by a reporter, “to work on having our coverage how it worked. It was about getting the benefit of the
reflect more of our community” which meets regularly. doubt. It was about the value of your ideas, of your
It set the 15 diversity goals for the newsroom. “It helps experiences. And so that’s the currency I think people of
round out our coverage,” Katches explained in an color simply didn’t have in newsrooms before. That they
interview. “We have better coverage of the LGBTQ now have, which I think is a really, really good thing.”
community for example. We are trying to reflect more
about people of color in our paper.” Wendy McMahon, co-president of CBS News and
Stations, has appointed “executive producers of
Kevin Merida said he inherited three very active staff community impact” at CBS-owned stations. “I’m trying to
caucuses – Black, Latino and Asia-American/Pacific reset the industry in my corner of the world,” McMahon
Islander – when he became editor of the Los Angeles said in an interview. “How do we go back to truly surfacing
Times. Staff members also communicate with each other stories from the streets and from neighborhoods versus
about issues on unofficial Slack channels. Discussions from the newsroom and from the (police) scanner?”
occur “right in our story meetings, in the context of what
we should cover,” he said. “Our ten o’clock meeting is The ABC Owned Television Stations created an eleven-

pretty big and diverse.” person “race and culture content team,” including a
dedicated “multi-skilled journalist” in each of their eight
Journalists in his newsroom “have multiple sets of local stations. “We have to be able to use the voices of
identities,” Merida explained. “They are all different kinds people whose neighborhoods we don’t normally go into
of people. We find ways for our journalists to share more and tell these stories from their vantage point,” ABC vice
of that,” including “first-person essays” on the front page. president Crooks said.

18
19
20
At KABC-TV in Los Angeles, president and general journalists’ use of social media – and other activities
manager Cheryl Fair has relied on community journalists in which they express their opinions or engage in
embedded in various neighborhoods to find news and activism. This comes after many of the same newsrooms
residents’ voices in places where they live. “As important had encouraged social media use and appearances
as it is how our reporters feel personally – and it is on broadcast media by their journalists to promote
important – and their voices are being heard internally,” themselves and their news organizations to grow
she said in an interview, “I think the voices that we have audiences.
decided are important to elevate here are the voices of
the community in a meaningful and very obvious way. I
think that part of what’s happening is (that) now we’re
allowing people to tell their truth. As long as our facts are “You can’t be an activist
correct, they can tell their truth.”
and be a Times journalist
The San Diego Union-Tribune has assigned more of at the same time.”
its reporters, including an increased number of Latino
journalists, to coverage of diverse communities in its Joseph Kahn,
region, including neighboring Tijuana, Mexico. “I think our Executive Editor,
slogan is ‘Know your community,’ and I think we really are The New York Times
knowing our community,” Alejandro Tamayo, who leads
the newspaper’s visual team, said in an interview. He
added that the newspaper had formed an advisory board
of residents of the region who listen to presentations Some news media have maintained strict policies against
from Union-Tribune journalists and offer feedback and their journalists expressing opinions about the news on
coverage ideas. social media or taking part in advocacy or protests.

The Associated Press announced a new “Inclusive Story- Oppenheim, for example, said NBC News wants its
Telling” chapter in the AP stylebook that “emphasizes the journalists exerting influence through their reporting and
importance of inclusive reporting and editing to ensure not in protests or opinions on social media. “There are lots
accuracy and fairness and offers guidance to recognize of ways, a lot of wonderful ways, to influence policy and
and overcome unconscious biases; use thoughtful and culture, and journalism is just one of them,” he explained.
precise language; reach beyond usual sources and story “And I think our position is that if you choose journalism as
ideas; include necessary context and background; avoid your route, you are giving up some other options that are
tokenism; and make content accessible.” available to the general public.”

“You can’t be an activist and be a Times journalist at the

same time,” Kahn said. “All of our newsroom journalists
should act as if they are representing the institution
Newsroom leaders interviewed for this report said they that they’re working for when they’re making public
are struggling with their newsrooms’ policies for their comments about major issues in the news.”

21
Claudia Milne, senior vice president of standards and “I think we have to have thoughtful conversations with
practices for CBS News and Stations, agreed that “how people,” she explained. “We have policies, they all
you represent yourself on social media in your personal accept the policies when they come to work. They don’t
life reflects on the organization that you work for.” Yet, she always understand all of that, or their life might influence
has found it difficult to set policy about this for CBS. something. And, so, we’ve got to go back and say, ‘Let’s
help you understand, not that there’s anything wrong with
“You may, for example, express sympathy for victims of
how you feel or who you are, or what you think about this.
racism. You may demonstrate compassion for victims
But the credibility of you as a journalist and the brand of
of gun violence,” she said. “But you wouldn’t be able to
the organization can be at risk.’ So, we need to think about
express support for organizations that advocate for gun
how we can find a happy medium.”
control or Black Lives Matter.”
Ellen Crooke, senior vice president of news for television
“Everyone wants black and white” in a new policy, Milne
station owner TEGNA, has similarly concluded that
explained. “We’re not allowed to say this, we are allowed
“there is no easy answer to this, and it requires great
to say that. And my mantra, and I say it 25 times a day,
thoughtfulness in news leaders. So, the old way of going
is almost nothing is black and white. In our universe,
about it—nobody shares anything controversial on social
everything is shades of gray.”
media, nobody talks about their lived experience – that’s
not going to fly anymore. We have to find that balance.”

At USA Today, Nicole Carroll said staff members are

encouraged to express their opinions about any issue
“We’re trying to create an in news meetings. And they can assert in public facts,
environment in which we such as “Black lives matter,” or support democracy or
human rights. But they are still forbidden from being
don’t police our journalists too
overly opinionated on social media or participating in
much. Our young people want demonstrations “that could impact a newsroom’s ability
to be participants in the world.” to cover the topic fairly.”

Kevin Merida, After several newsroom crises at The Washington Post

over the use of social media by a few of its journalists
Executive Editor,
Los Angeles Times to attack others on the staff, Sally Buzbee issued a new
social media policy stating that “a Post journalist’s use
of social media must not harm the editorial integrity or
journalistic reputation of The Post…Post journalists (who
are not opinion journalists) should ensure that their
While CBS stations do not allow reporters to express activity on social media would not make reasonable
opinions on controversial issues in their reporting or on people question their editorial independence, not make
social media, Wendy McMahon said that she is trying to reasonable people question The Post’s ability to cover
create “safe spaces” in their newsrooms for people to issues fairly.
share their views and feelings.

22
 “I always felt that journalists could speak up for free
speech and press rights. Then, what about civil rights,
racial equality, police brutality? I felt like we ought to be
“How do we instill trust in able to speak up about those things in moderation on
the news media? Part of social media, but I dislike and forbid reporters being truly
that is transparency. And partisan, campaigning. I think it’s a spectrum, and I’m
moving on the spectrum.”
part of transparency is
being clear in how you go
about doing your work.”
Carrie Fox, At the same time, some news leaders are mulling whether
President and CEO, and how to incorporate certain values into their news
Mission Partners organizations’ missions and news coverage. Wesley
Lowery has urged them to adopt “moral clarity” as a
guiding principle. “I want a values-based journalism,
where we clearly state what we believe and what the
premises from which we operate are,” he said.
“Our newsroom’s diversity strengthens our journalism,
“I feel like it’s a motivating factor rather than what should
and Post journalists can bring their backgrounds,
determine what’s written,” Steven Waldman, president
identity, and experiences to their social accounts. It is not
of Report for America, said when asked about “moral
appropriate to use your social media account to advocate
clarity.”
for causes, issues, government policies, or political or
judicial outcomes…Social media is not the platform to The Washington Post adopted “Democracy Dies in
engage in disputes with your colleagues.” Darkness” as its slogan in print and online. It and The New
York Times have started multi-reporter democracy beats
At the Los Angeles Times, Kevin Merida has been taking
covering voting rights and other challenges to American
“a fresh look” at its social media and activism guidelines
democracy. They also now use words like “lies” and
for his journalists. “We say they should not compromise
“racism” as factual terms in their news coverage.
the newspaper’s reporting,” he said. “We evaluate how
people may participate on a case-by-case basis. They “I don’t want to throw labels like racist or lying around
have to consult with an editor. I don’t necessarily think willy-nilly, the evidence should be high,” Times executive
that, if you participate in something, that it is not possible editor Kahn said in an interview. “But I think it’s true that,
to cover something. We are trying to find that line…We’re when the evidence is there, we should not default to
trying to create an environment in which we don’t police some mealy-mouthed, so-called neutral language that
our journalists too much. Our young people want to be some people see this as a falsehood, while others do not.
participants in the world.” When the evidence is there, we should be clear and direct
with our audience that we don’t think there are multiple
“Twitter complicates everything,” media critic and former
sides to this question, this is a falsehood. And the person
newspaper editor Margaret Sullivan said in an interview.

23
repeating this falsehood over and over is guilty of Waldman noted that Black and Hispanic communities
lying.” began distrusting the news media before conservatives
did. One way to rebuild that trust, he said, is doing more
Claudia Milne of CBS News pointed out that story
beat reporting in their communities. That’s what young
and beat selections can reflect a news organization’s
journalists funded and placed by philanthropy-supported
values. “I think one of the ways in which you can
Report for America do in dozens of local news media
address how you have been covering some of these
around the country.
issues, but still hold on to your editorial principles
and values, in terms of impartiality and objectivity, is “The more I read about what has gone on in the decline
actually about the act of choosing to cover them,” she in trust, and how deep it is,” Waldman said, “the more I
said in an interview. think the most important thing is probably to have a ton
more local reporters from those communities, ideally,
She connected story assignment and coverage
but certainly in those communities. Ideally doing beat
decisions to audience trust in the news media. “This
reporting where they’re really getting to know the
is one of the big critiques of the news media, and
community, getting to know the topic and vice versa, that
arguably the reason why there’s such a lack of trust
the community is getting to know them, and interacting
over so many years, which is that for the last 20, 30, 40
with them, in some cases on a literal face to face person
years, traditional mainstream news media has covered
level.”
white, middle class, coastal elites, essentially. And it
wasn’t that we covered those stories in a biased way. It Scripps News, a national news division of the E.W.
was that we chose to cover those stories and not the Scripps company, has staffed bureaus across the
stories of everybody else.” country with reporters who have lived in those places.

24
25
In addition to traditional beats like medicine, it has beats Kristen Muller, chief content officer for LAist and KPCC,
called “The South” and “The West.” The Washington explained that the values guide their coverage, staff
Post’s democracy beat reporters also live and report from performance and recruiting. “To me, it did not feel
regions and states where voting rights and threats to like we’re saying something that isn’t kind of widely
democracy are significant stories. accepted,” she said, acknowledging that the website and
station operate in a relatively liberal region.
Newer nonprofit news organizations often are founded
with specifically stated missions and values – both for Emily Ramshaw, The 19th’s co-founder emphasized that
fund-raising and for guidance for their staffs. For example, its mission has not deterred its growth, financial support,
Elizabeth Green, co-founder and CEO of Chalkbeat, or credibility. She pointed to millions of page views for its
which covers education with websites in cities across the stories in other news media that pick up and publish them.
country, said it adopted antiracism as a core value. “We “They see us as additive” to their coverage, “not as an
talk about it a lot,” she said in an interview. “’Is this what an issue site.” Ramshaw said The 19th is a $10 million a year
antiracist news organization would do?’” operation with a staff of 50 – 65 per cent of whom are
women of color and “approximately 30 per cent LGBTQ
Carrie Fox, CEO of Mission Partners, works with nonprofit
people.”
news organizations on what she called “positioning,”
which may include developing a clear mission, vision,
and values. She said that builds trust with an audience.
“How do we instill trust in the news media? Part of that is
transparency,” Fox explained. “And part of transparency American news media, like the country itself, are
is being clear in how you go about doing your work.” undergoing a critical period of profound change in the
face of growing public mistrust. There is no clear, single
The nonprofit LAist local news website, part of Southern
path for them to follow. Instead, as a myriad of news
California Public Radio, along with station KPCC,
organizations work to inform the American public in these
adopted values, which appear on its website and include
rapidly changing times, the authors of this report have
“Systematic racism exists,” “We are facing a climate
formulated from our research these guidelines to help
emergency,” “Democracy and civil participation are good
light the way.
things,” and “Diversity, equity and inclusion – in everything
we do – are critical to our success.”

26
27
Trustworthy
News Playbook

28
 well require establishing a formal
1. 2. mentorship program, creating
structured opportunities to take on
Strive not just Unlock the real leadership challenges, and laying
out a clear path for advancement. A
for accuracy, power of diversity,
diverse newsroom leadership team
but for truth inclusion, and identity will also help you retain a diverse
team of journalists – a stiff challenge,
especially now.
Honest, credible, trustworthy A truly diverse newsroom is more
journalism cannot thrive without likely to create trustworthy news. But even a diverse newsroom will not
unflagging editorial independence. That starts with a commitment succeed without an inclusive culture
Your newsroom leaders and your to hiring a staff that reflects the that encourages its journalists
journalists should have the freedom diversity of your community – not to speak up and allows them to
to cover news without catering to, just ethnic and gender diversity, be heard by their colleagues and
fearing or tolerating pressure from but people with different economic, leaders. You may want to consider
corporate management, advertisers, educational, religious, geographic establishing a formal structure
donors, interest groups, politicians, and social backgrounds. That for listening to diverse newsroom
or government officials. probably means expanding perspectives and responding to
your recruitment efforts beyond them, as some of the examples in the
Accuracy starts with a commitment the usual sources (such as preceding essay illustrate. Whether
to verifiable facts, with no journalism schools or other news you rely on organized affinity groups,
compromises. But facts, while true, organizations) and possibly re- regular newsroom “town meetings,”
aren’t necessarily the whole truth. examining your job criteria (such or some other mechanism, your
Therefore, your journalists must as the requirement of a four-year newsroom leaders should commit
consider multiple perspectives to college degree) to see whom they to sometimes difficult conversations
provide context where needed. might be arbitrarily excluding. It also about story selection, coverage,
means holding newsroom leaders even language – conversations that
That said, avoid lazy or mindless
strictly accountable for attracting are open to all, not just the journalists
“balance” or “both-sides-ism.” If
and retaining a diverse staff, which involved in a particular story.
your reporting combines accuracy
probably means hiring outside their
and open-mindedness to multiple Those difficult conversations may
comfort zone.
points of view, the result should still also address the complicated
reflect the most honest picture of Your diverse newsroom should issue of a journalist’s identity and
reality you can present – what Bob also create opportunities for its relationship to news coverage.
Woodward and Carl Bernstein call talented staff members from Today’s newsrooms encourage
“the best available version of the underrepresented groups to grow their journalists to “bring their full
truth.” into leadership positions. That may selves to work” but then send

29
mixed messages about how on. The goal of all these efforts is feeds should be exempt from the
much personal background and inclusive and responsive coverage newsroom’s policies. The journalist
life experience should affect their of all aspects of your community. is a representative of the news
assignments or their reporting. We organization no matter what the
share the consensus among most of platform or venue and gives up some
our experts that a healthy newsroom 3. personal rights to free expression as
encourages but doesn’t force candid a result.
conversations about identity and
Create a clear and Participation in political rallies or
life experience. Decisions about
specific assignments should not
consistent policy protests is a trickier issue. It is

be governed by arbitrary rules but to guide your obviously simplest to ban all political
activity other than voting, as some
made thoughtfully, on a case-by- journalists’ social leading organizations do, but we
case basis. The same goes for media and political found inconsistencies among the
first-person journalism that reflects
activity newsrooms we studied and no firm
a reporter’s own identity. Handled
consensus on where to draw the line.
properly, the diverse life experiences
Again, the issue is maintaining the
of the newsroom will enhance your
What is the right relationship trust of the news consumer without
news coverage.
between an open and inclusive overly or arbitrarily restricting the
Even if you’ve created the open newsroom culture and the freedom ability of your journalists to “be
newsroom culture that we’re journalists have to express their themselves.”
describing, unlocking the real opinions on social media or
And all that said, some mission-
power of diversity also requires a participate in political events, like
driven news organizations may well
commitment to reflecting diverse rallies or protests? It’s not an easy
choose to allow social media and
perspectives in story selection question to answer.
political activity consistent with their
and reporting. This means not only
On social media policy, the principal core values. (We’ll say more about
listening to your own team, but also
authors of this report fall on the “newsroom values” in a moment.)
listening deeply to the people you
conservative (small “c”) end of the
are supposed to serve, with special The key is to articulate and
spectrum, as do many of the news
attention to groups that mainstream communicate your policy clearly;
leaders whom we interviewed. Our
journalism has traditionally ignored expect to address gray areas;
view is that allowing journalists to
or stereotyped. Some news enforce your policy fairly and
express opinions on controversial
organizations rely on community consistently; and be prepared to
social and political issues erodes the
advisory boards. Others collaborate reinforce it from time to time. It may
perception of fairness and open-
with community nonprofits on events be wise to assign a senior executive
mindedness – of “trustworthiness.”
or charitable projects. Still others to whom employees can turn for
We don’t buy the argument made
have established new neighborhood guidance. As the saying goes, “it’s
by some that personal social media
beats – more on that a bit further complicated.”

30
 ones, like the labor beat, again based In fact, the open culture we
4. on what the people you serve care described earlier will be a “safe
about most. space” to the extent that candid

Focus on enterprise, Consider collaborations with other

conversations stay in the newsroom.
But trustworthy news doesn’t
investigative, and news organizations – particularly
happen by magic, and reporting
accountability niche newsrooms with deep
about the hard work of reporting
expertise on a particular subject – as
reporting can be a good way to demonstrate
well as nonprofits like ProPublica
open-mindedness, fairness, and a
and Report for America – to deepen
commitment to accuracy. Journalists
your reporting. A growing number
Channel your resources into original in many popular podcasts detail their
of newsrooms are working with
reporting that gives your readers, reporting methods already, to good
Solutions Journalism Network to
viewers, listeners and users valuable effect.
investigate potential solutions to
information that helps them make
society’s most pressing issues. When appropriate, explain the
better decisions and lead better
genesis of stories and open a
lives. Try to add value with every
window into newsroom decision-
story you report.
5. making. Consider providing
Investigative and accountability access to raw materials and other
reporting should focus on all aspects sources when it doesn’t jeopardize
of American life, not just politics and Show your work confidentiality.
power. Your newsroom’s agenda
If your news organization has a
should be driven not just by the
It’s no accident that “transparency” mission statement, share it. The
quest for journalistic glory but by a
has become a watchword if not a same goes for your news standards:
deep understanding of your various
tired cliché in talking about how publish them.
communities’ priorities and needs.
to increase trust in news. Sharing
Hold yourself and your news
Consider bringing back or your newsgathering and editorial
organization accountable for errors,
expanding the beat system in your processes may not come naturally,
and correct them promptly and
newsroom, even if it’s a smaller but it can be an effective way to build
prominently.
operation where reporters may have a stronger connection with skeptical
to cover other assignments as well. consumers. Digital platforms make it Consider hiring a “public editor”
Journalists on a beat develop unique easy to share additional information or ombudsman to address
expertise, come up with original without breaking the flow of a story. concerns about coverage. At a
story ideas, and connect more minimum, and consistently with our
deeply with the people they cover. We are not suggesting that you
recommendation of a more open
share every newsroom debate about
newsroom culture, we suggest you
Think about creating new beats, like coverage or the role of identity and
name a newsroom executive whose
the democracy beat, or restoring old life experience in assignments.

31
job it is to field complaints and of climate change and the threats
questions. that it poses. That may well inform
how many resources a newsroom
Another collaboration to consider:
devotes to reporting on the issue as
The nonprofit Trusting News has
well as any point of view its stories
a broad set of recommendations
reflect. The same might go for
and offers workshops to help
opposition to systemic racism, say,
newsrooms build trust through
or support for LGBTQ rights.
transparency.
Should a newsroom state what
it believes in and make those

6. views public?

We leave that choice to the individual

Define your news organization, but in keeping
with our support of an inclusive
newsroom’s core
and open newsroom culture,
values – and live we recommend engaging in a
by them structured but candid conversation
with your team about the core beliefs
that guide your journalism. To the
It may seem difficult to reconcile extent that your values and editorial
the notion of a newsroom having priorities influence story selection,
“core values” with an absence of weight, placement, framing of issues,
bias, which research consistently and even tone, acknowledging
shows is a high priority for news that may create a more authentic
consumers. There is a difference connection among your journalists
between having a “point of view” and and with your public.
engaging in advocacy journalism,
although defining that line can be One value we believe is worth

tricky. We are leery of claims by stating out loud is support for

some journalists to have “moral democratic institutions, which are

clarity” on controversial issues. under attack on multiple fronts.

But every newsroom has essential Trustworthy news is essential to

premises and assumptions that sustaining a healthy democracy.

shape story selection and reporting.

For example, there is broad

consensus today about the reality

32
33
Conclusion

34
35
What we hope ties these guidelines together is our own One of the ironies we have observed is that journalists,
core belief that journalism must address the needs and who cover change for a living, are often change-averse
aspirations of our increasingly diverse society more themselves. We live in a time when the business and
effectively than it has in the past. practice of journalism are under threat from economic
and political forces. Meeting that challenge will
That means striving to reach not only an audience,
require the courage to contemplate change, some of it
but all audiences, and no longer with one-size-fits-
incremental, some of it fundamental.
all, traditionally white male “objectivity,” a journalistic
concept that has lost its relevance. It means avoiding The stakes are high, but so is the potential to strengthen
replacing that with some new rigid orthodoxy, which and even transform an institution that is vital to the
could also impede accurate and fair reporting. It means survival of America as we know it.
building a newsroom that reflects the communities it
serves and embraces diversity to provide strong, more
accurate and responsible journalism.

Producing trustworthy news for the communities of

today requires a new kind of news leader, committed to
the kind of newsroom we have described and confident
enough to replace yesterday’s top-down model with
an inclusive culture in which ideas can bubble up from
anywhere – and the best of them can flourish.

36
37
References

38
Interviews
Saeed Ahmed, VP of News for Digital Platforms, Associated Press; former Director of Digital News, NPR

Catherine Badalamente, President and CEO, Graham Media Group

Tracy Baim, Publisher, Chicago Reader; Co-founder, Windy City Times

Dan Balz, Chief Political Correspondent, The Washington Post

Neil Barsky, Founder, The Marshall Project

Beth Bennett, Associate Dean and Professor, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University

David Bornstein, Co-Founder, Solutions Journalism Network

Jim Brady, Vice President of Journalism, Knight Foundation

Sally Buzbee, Executive Editor, The Washington Post

Kathleen Carroll, Board Chair, Committee to Protect Journalists

Nicole Carroll, Editor-in-Chief, USA Today

Laura Castañeda, Deputy Editor of Editorial and Opinion, The San Diego Union-Tribune

Julia B. Chan, Editor-in-Chief, The 19th

Steve Coll, Author and former Dean, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

Cesar Conde, Chairman, NBCUniversal News Group

Ellen Crooke, Senior Vice President of News, TEGNA

Maxine Crooks, Vice President of Talent Strategy and Development, ABC Stations

John Duchneskie, Assistant Managing Editor/Design and Graphics, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Stephen Engelberg, Editor-in-Chief, ProPublica

Gabe Escobar, Editor and Senior Vice President, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Maritza Félix, Founder and Border Reporter, Conecta Arizona

Valeria Fernandez, Managing Editor, palabra, by NAHJ

Mark Fisher, Senior Editor and Writer, The Washington Post

Carrie Fox, President and CEO, Mission Partners

Tim Franklin, Senior Associate Dean and Professor, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University

Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, Editor-in-Chief, San Francisco Chronicle

Morgan Givens, Freelance Audio Producer, Storyteller

Tracy Grant, Editor-in-chief, Encyclopaedia Britannica; former Managing Editor, The Washington Post

39
Elizabeth Green, Co-Founder and CEO, Chalkbeat

Erik Hall, Digital Sports Editor, St. Louis Post-Dispatch; former Social Media and Digital Producer, USA Today Network

Cierra Hinton, Executive Director and Publisher, Scalawag

Joseph Kahn, Executive Editor, The New York Times

Robert Kaiser, Author; former Managing Editor, The Washington Post

Mark Katches, Editor, Tampa Bay Times

Andrew Lack, Founder, Mississippi Today

Ashton Lattimore, Editor-in-Chief, Prism

Candy Lee, Associate Dean and Professor, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University

Scott Livingston, Senior Vice President of News, Sinclair Broadcast Group

Wesley Lowery, Author and journalist

María Martínez-Guzmán, Executive Vice President and Executive News Director, Univision

Barbara Maushard, Senior Vice President of News, Hearst Stations

Joy Mayer, Director, Trusting News

Sean McLaughlin, Vice President of News, E.W. Scripps Company [double-checking this - LinkedIn says Vice President of
Content (ajh)]

Wendy McMahon, Co-President, CBS News and Stations

Andrew Mendelson, Associate Dean and Professor, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, City University of New York

Kevin Merida, Executive Editor, Los Angeles Times

Claudia Milne, Senior Vice President, Standards and Practices, CBS News

Kristen Muller, Chief Content Officer, Southern California Public Radio

Hamilton Nolan, Labor Reporter, In These Times

Kate O’Brian, President, Scripps News Division

Noah Oppenheim, Former President, NBC News

Alvin Patrick, Executive Producer, Race and Culture Unit, CBS News

Chris Peńa, Senior Vice President of News, Local Media, Univision

Hank Plante, Reporter (Retired), KPIX-TV

Emily Ramshaw, Co-Founder and CEO, The 19th

Sameer Rao, Editor, Technical.ly

Amanda Ripley, Author and journalist

40
Jay Rosen, Professor, New York University

Elisabeth Rosenthal, Editor-in-Chief, Kaiser Health News

Rene Sanchez, Editor, The Times-Picayune, The Advocate and NOLA.com

Pia Sarkar, Business Editor, The Associated Press

Jack Schafer, Media Columnist, Politico

Jon Schleuss, President, NewsGuild-CWA

Gabe Schneider, Co-Founder and Executive Director, The Objective

Mark Segal, Founder and Publisher, Philadelphia Gay News

Terence Shepherd, News Director, KPBS

Amy Silverman, Executive Producer of The Show, KJZZ

Margaret Sullivan, Author and former media columnist, The Washington Post

Alejandro Tamayo, Director of Video, The San Diego Union-Tribune

Jeffrey Timmermans, Director, Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, Walter Cronkite School of
Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University

Francisco Vara-Orta, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Investigative Reporters and Editors

Steven Waldman, President and Co-Founder, Report for America

Julia Wallace, Professor, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University

Lynn Walsh, Assistant Director, Trusting News

Shemar Woods, Professor, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University

Jeff Zucker, Former President, CNN Worldwide

41
Publications
Abernathy, Penny. “The State of Local News: The 2022 Report.” Medill Local News Initiative. June 29, 2022.
https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/research/state-of-local-news/report/

Alemán, Sonya M. “A Critical Race Counterstory: Chicana/o Subjectivities vs. Journalism Objectivity.” Taboo: The Journal
of Culture and Education 16, no. 1. September 22, 2017.
https://doi.org/10.31390/taboo.16.1.08

Allsop, Jon. “The Movement of the Roe Story.” Columbia Journalism Review. June 27, 2022.
https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/roe_decision_media.php

Anderson, Christopher William, Leonard Downie, and Michael Schudson.The News Media: What Everyone Needs to
Know. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016.

Alvarado, Ashley. “How a Southern California Public Radio Task Force Drove Systemic Change in Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion.” Better News. June 1, 2022.
https://betternews.org/how-a-southern-california-public-radio-task-force-drove-systemic-change-in-diversity-equity-
and-inclusion/

Benton, Joshua. “The New York Times Would Really Like Its Reporters to Stop Scrolling and Get Off Twitter (At Least Once
in a While).” Nieman Lab. April 7, 2022.
https://www.niemanlab.org/2022/04/the-new-york-times-would-really-like-its-reporters-to-stop-scrolling-and-get-off-
twitter-at-least-once-in-a-while/

Benton, Joshua. “How Do Newsrooms Talk to Readers When They’ve Really Screwed Up? With Process, Transparency,
and Trust.” Nieman Lab. May 9. 2022.
https://www.niemanlab.org/2022/05/how-do-newsrooms-talk-to-readers-when-theyve-really-screwed-up-with-
process-transparency-and-trust/

Budarick, John. “Racism and Journalism: The Dangers of Returning to the ‘Safe-Space’ of Objectivity.” Journalism. March
23, 2022.
https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849221077747

Burrows, Elizabeth. “Indigenous Media Producers’ Perspectives on Objectivity, Balancing Community Responsibilities and
Journalistic Obligations.” Media, Culture & Society 40, no. 8 (March 26, 2018): 1117–34.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443718764807

Cook, Madison Fleck, ed. “The LGBTQ+ Issue: Getting it Right in the Newsroom and Coverage.” Investigative Reporters &
Editors Journal. 2021.
https://www.ire.org/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/2021/11/ire_q4_2021-iwwvrp.pdf

Dean, Walter. “The lost meaning of ‘objectivity.’” American Press Institute. August 24, 2022.
https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/journalism-essentials/bias-objectivity/lost-meaning-objectivity/

Delgado, Anjanette. “How the Detroit Free Press uses an annual impact report to show how its journalism drives change”.
Better News. May 1, 2022. https://betternews.org/detroit-free-press-table-stakes-annual-impact-report-show-
journalism-drives-change/

Dimitrakopoulou, Dimitra & Seth C. Lewis. “The Generative Dialogue Framework and the Pursuit of Better Listening by
Journalists: A Design-Centered Approach for More Constructive Conversations with Audiences.” Digital Journalism
(2022): 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2022.2075415

Dolan, Kevin. “Blinded by ‘objectivity’: How News Conventions Caused Journalists to Miss the Real Story in the ‘Our Lady’

42
Controversy in Santa Fe.” Journalism 6, no. 3 (2005): 379–396.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884905054066

Downie, Leonard. All About the Story: News, Power, Politics, and the Washington Post.

New York: Public Affairs, 2020.

Forman-Katz, Naomi, and Mark Jurkowitz. “U.S. Journalists Differ from the Public in Their Views of ‘Bothsidesism’ in
Journalism.” Pew Research Center. July 14, 2022.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/07/13/u-s-journalists-differ-from-the-public-in-their-views-of-
bothsidesism-in-journalism/

Friedlich, Jim. “What we learned from an independent diversity audit of more than 3,000 Philadelphia Inquirer stories.” The
Lenfest Institute. Feb. 12, 2021.
https://www.lenfestinstitute.org/diverse-growing-audiences/what-we-learned-from-an-independent-diversity-audit-of-
more-than-3000-philadelphia-inquirer-stories/

Gershon, Livia. “The Invention of Journalistic Objectivity.” JSTOR Daily, August 5, 2019.
https://daily.jstor.org/the-invention-of-journalistic-objectivity/

Gottfried, Jeffrey, Amy Mitchell, Mark Jurkowitz, and Jacob Liedke. “Journalists Sense Turmoil in Their Industry Amid
Continued Passion for Their Work.” Pew Research Center’s Journalism Project, August 25, 2022.
https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2022/06/14/journalists-sense-turmoil-in-their-industry-amid-continued-
passion-for-their-work/

Greenberg, David. “The War on Objectivity in American Journalism.” Liberties. May 9, 2022.
https://libertiesjournal.com/articles/the-war-on-objectivity-in-american-journalism/

Jones, Alex S. Losing The News: The future of the News That Feeds Democracy. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Kovach, Bill & Tom Rosenstiel. The Elements of Journalism : What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should
Expect. (Updated and Revised Edition.) New York: Three Rivers Press. 2001, 2007.

Laughlin, Alex Sujong. “Opinion | It’s possible to be a journalist and a human.” Poynter. June 28 2022.
https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2022/journalism-objectivity-roe-scotus-social-media/

Levin, Mark R., Unfreedom of the Press. First Threshold Editions hardcover edition.
New York: Threshold Editions, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 2019.

Lippmann, Walter. Public Opinion. New York: Free Press, 1965.

Lippmann, Walter & Merz, Charles. A Test of the News. The New Republic, 23(2), 1-42. August 4, 1920

Lowery, Wesley, “A Reckoning Over Objectivity, Led by Black Journalists,” The New York Times, June 23, 2020.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/opinion/objectivity-black-journalists-coronavirus.html

Martson, Celeste Katz. ”American Democracy is Under Threat — and Newsrooms Are Mobilizing to Cover It.” Nieman
Reports. June 13, 2022.
https://niemanreports.org/articles/covering-elections-democracy-beat/

Mathisen, Birgit Røe. “Sourcing Practice in Local Media: Diversity and Media Shadows.” Journalism Practice, June 17, 2021,
1–17.
https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2021.1942147.

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McBride, Kelly. “Opinion: Newsrooms must reframe abortion coverage and the worn-out debate around the rules of
objectivity.” Poynter. May 5, 2022.
https://www.poynter.org/ethics-trust/2022/reframing-abortion-coverage-objectivity-debate-newsrooms/

Monroe, Bryan & Andrea Wenzel. The Philadelphia Inquirer: 2020 Diversity and Inclusion Audit. Philadelphia: Temple
University, Klein College of Media & Communication. February 12, 2021
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MJB8IaP4MC_kpP47ZGsVo5y1cAR3VByR/view

Mosley, Tonya. Twitter Thread. May 12, 2022.

https://twitter.com/TonyaMosley/status/1524784058990927884

Muñoz-Torres, Juan Ramón. “Truth and Objectivity in Journalism.” Journalism Studies 13, no. 4. August 2012: 566–82.
https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670x.2012.662401

Nadler, Anthony & Doron Taussig. “Conservatives’ mistrust of media is rooted in the feeling journalists want to ostracize
them.” Nieman Lab. April 19, 2022.
https://www.niemanlab.org/2022/04/conservatives-mistrust-of-media-is-rooted-in-the-feeling-journalists-want-to-
ostracize-them/

Nagel, Thomas. The View from Nowhere. New York: Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 1989.

Owen, Laura Hazard. “Seven Georgia news outlets led by people of color get $2 million in funding.” Nieman Lab. July 12,
2022
https://www.niemanlab.org/2022/07/seven-georgia-news-outlets-led-by-people-of-color-get-2-million-in-funding/

Parker, Nigel, Angel Brooks, Shawn McIntosh, Holley Hughes, Meghan Claar and Leigha Hubbard. “How The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution is reaching Black audiences through its Unapologetically ATL newsletter.” Better News. May 2022
https://betternews.org/how-the-atlanta-journal-constitution-is-reaching-black-audiences-through-its-unapologetically-
atl-newsletter/

Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, Asian American Journalists Association, Philadelphia chapter, National
Association of Hispanic Journalists, Philadelphia chapter, Free Press. “Open Letter to Philadelphia Inquirer Calling for
Immediate Action on DEI Failures.” Aug. 31, 2022
https://aajaphilly.org/2022/08/31/open-letter-to-philadelphia-inquirer-calling-for-immediate-action-on-dei-failures/

Pressman, Matthew. On Press: The Liberal Values That Shaped the News. Illustrated. Cambridge: Harvard University
Press, 2018.

Pressman, Matthew. “Journalistic Objectivity: Origin, Meaning and Why It Matters.” Time. Nov. 8, 2018
https://time.com/5443351/journalism-objectivity-history/

Ripley, Amanda. “Complicating the Narratives: What if journalists covered controversial issues differently — based on how
humans actually behave when they are polarized and suspicious?” Solutions Journalism. Jan. 11, 2019.
https://thewholestory.solutionsjournalism.org/complicating-the-narratives-b91ea06ddf63

Ripley, Amanda. “Opinion: I stopped reading the news. Is the problem me — or the product?” Washington Post. July 8, 2022
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/07/08/how-to-fix-news-media/

Robinson, Sue, and Kathleen Bartzen Culver. “When White Reporters Cover Race: News Media, Objectivity and
Community (Dis)Trust.” Journalism 20, no. 3 (August 18, 2016): 375–91.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884916663599

Rosen, Jay. “Battleship Newspaper.” PressThink. June 12, 2020.

https://pressthink.org/2020/06/battleship-newspaper/

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Rosen, Jay. “Show Your Work: The New Terms for Trust in Journalism.” PressThink. July 10, 2020.
https://pressthink.org/2017/12/show-work-new-terms-trust-journalism/

Rosen, Jay. “The View from Nowhere: Questions and Answers.” PressThink. Feb. 23, 2022.
https://pressthink.org/2010/11/the-view-from-nowhere-questions-and-answers/

RTDNA- “How to Improve Trust in Local Journalism” (Survey). Sept. 15, 2022.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1vh2924lab0ymtf/RTDNATrust-Research-FINAL.pdf?dl=0

Sanders, Sam. Twitter Thread. May 5, 2022.

https://twitter.com/samsanders/status/1522371322549993473?s=21&t=DHWhN8ZADF652sBJP87o0A

Schudson, Michael. Discovering The News: A Social History of American Newspapers. New York: Basic Books. 1978

Shoemaker, Pamela J., and Stephen D. Reese. Mediating the Message in the 21st Century a Media Sociology Perspective.
Third edition. New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group, 2014.

Soffer, Oren. “The Competing Ideals of Objectivity and Dialogue in American Journalism.” Journalism 10, no. 4 (July 15,
2009): 473–91.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884909104950

Spokesman-Review Staff. “The State of Newspapers.” Spokesman-Review. June 12, 2022.

https://www.spokesman.com/pages/state-of-newspapers-2022/

Sullivan, Margaret. Ghosting the News: Local Journalism and the Crisis of American Democracy. New York: Columbia
Global Reports. 2020.

Sun, Rebecca. “How More Inclusive Leadership Is Changing Newsrooms.” The Hollywood Reporter. May 20, 2022
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/inclusive-leadership-newsrooms-changes-1235146728/.

Tuchman, Gaye. “Objectivity as Strategic Ritual: An Examination of Newsmen’s Notions of Objectivity.” American Journal of
Sociology 77, no. 4 (January 1972): 660–79.
https://doi.org/10.1086/225193

Varma, Anita.” Solidarity eclipses objectivity as journalism’s dominant ideal.” Nieman Labs. 2021.
https://www.niemanlab.org/2021/12/solidarity-eclipses-objectivity-as-journalisms-dominant-ideal/

Wallace, Lewis Raven. The View from Somewhere: Undoing the Myth of Journalistic Objectivity. First. University of Chicago
Press, 2019.

Walsh, Lynn. “Today’s trust tip: Back to basics / Explain how you decide which stories to cover.” Trusting News. June 7,
2022
https://mailchi.mp/24e299ed2b5d/trust-tips-171-back-to-basics-explain-how-you-decide-which-stories-to-
cover?e=4b512fb10b

Washington Post Staff. Policies and Standards. The Washington Post.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/policies-and-standards/

Washington Post Staff. (2022) Social Media Policy. The Washington Post. 2022.
https://insidesocialmedia.com/social-media-policies/washington-posts-social-media-policy/

45
Events
Columbia School of Journalism. (2022, Sept. 13) The Objectivity Wars: Finding a path forward for journalism. Participants:
Masha Gessen, David Greenberg, Wesley Lowery, Andie Tucher, Lewis Raven Wallace. Moderator: Kyle Pope
https://youtu.be/GS0G97eEKb4

Knight Foundation (2022, July 7) Signal and Noise: Trust and Polarization. Panelists: Wesley Lowery, Femi Oke, Gerald
Seib. Moderator: Gina Chau.
https://youtu.be/PIqfD2oOK6c

Washington Post Live (2022, June 17). Reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein discuss the 50th anniversary of the
Watergate break-in, how they got the story and its lasting impact.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mgCgOOCmUQ

46
 About the Cronkite School
The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass
About the authors Communication at Arizona State University is widely
recognized as one of the nation’s premier professional
Leonard Downie, Jr., the Weil
journalism programs and has received international
Family Professor of Journalism
acclaim for its innovative use of the “teaching hospital”
at the Walter Cronkite School
model. Rooted in the time-honored values that
of Journalism and Mass
characterize its namesake — accuracy, responsibility,
Communication, started at
objectivity, integrity — the school fosters journalistic
The Washington Post in 1964 as an intern and rose
excellence and ethics in both the classroom and in its
through the ranks. He held the role of executive
13 professional programs that fully immerse students
editor from 1991 through 2008. During his tenure at
in the practice of journalism and related fields. Arizona
the Post, he investigated and led coverage of some
PBS, one of the nation’s largest public television stations,
of the most significant events of the 20th century.
is part of Cronkite, making it the largest media outlet
operated by a journalism school in the world. Learn
Andrew Heyward, a Research
more at cronkite.asu.edu.
Professor at the Walter
Cronkite School of Journalism
and Mass Communication
and senior advisor to the new
About the Stanton Foundation
The Stanton Foundation was created by Frank
Center for Constructive Communication at MIT,
Stanton, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest
is an award-winning broadcast news producer
executives in the history of electronic communications
and expert on the changing media landscape.
and one of the television industry’s founding fathers.
Among many newsroom roles, he served as
Dr. Stanton served as president of CBS for over 30
President of CBS News from January 1996 until
years. He created the first televised presidential debate,
November 2005.
between Kennedy and Nixon, which is widely viewed
as having had a major impact on the outcome of the
election.

The Foundation supports areas in which Frank Stanton

wished to continue his philanthropy beyond his lifetime.
Those areas include protection of First Amendment
rights and creating a more informed citizenry.