Look, I’ve Been Doing This for 22 Years
I was sitting in a diner in Pittsburgh last Tuesday, sipping terrible coffee, when Marcus—let’s call him Marcus—leaned across the table and said, “You know what’s wrong with journalism?” I sighed. I knew what was coming.
“It’s all biased,” he said, gesturing wildly with his fork. “You can’t trust any of it.” I rolled my eyes. Honestly, I’ve heard this alot. But here’s the thing—he’s not completley wrong.
First, Let’s Talk About Me
I started at the Daily Chronicle in 1999. Fresh out of college, green as they come. My first editor, a woman named Linda, told me, “You’re gonna screw up. A lot. But you gotta keep writing.” Smart woman. I still screw up. Like last week, I messed up a simple story about a local council meeting. I misheard “ammendments” as “endments” and had to ammend the article later. (See what I did there?)
But here’s the point: I’m biased. We all are. I mean, I have my views, my preferences, my committment to certain causes. And yeah, sometimes that seeps into my writing. It’s not malice—it’s human nature.
But Here’s the Thing About Bias
Bias isn’t always bad. It’s what makes us unique. It’s what makes our voices matter. The problem is when bias becomes dishonesty. When facts are twisted to fit a narrative. That’s when journalism fails.
I remember covering a protest in Austin back in 2008. The police said one thing, the protesters said another. I talked to 214 people that day. 214! And you know what? Everyone had a different story. So I wrote what I saw, what I heard, what I could verify. That’s all you can do.
Science Research News Latest: A Quick Digression
Speaking of verification, have you checked out science research news latest? No? You should. It’s a great resource for staying up-to-date on actual facts. Unlike some other sites I could mention.
Anyway, back to bias. It’s not just about politics. It’s about everything. Even something as simple as a local sports game can be biased. The way you describe a play, the words you choose—it all matters.
A Conversation with Dave
My colleague Dave—real name, real person—told me something interesting last week. “You know,” he said, “I think people forget that journalists are people too. We have feelings, opinions, lives outside of our jobs.” I nodded. “Yeah,” I said, “and sometimes those feelings sneak into our writing.”
Dave laughed. “Like that time you wrote about the new library funding?” He was right. I had let my personal feelings about libraries—love them—color my reporting. It was subtle, but it was there.
So What’s the Solution?
I’m not sure there is one. I mean, I think the best we can do is be aware of our biases. To acknowledge them, to own them, to try our best to keep them out of our writing. But it’s a constant struggle.
And look, I’m not saying all journalists are saints. Far from it. There are bad actors out there, people who will twist the truth to fit their agenda. But there are also good people, honest people, who are just trying to do their jobs.
I guess what I’m saying is—be critical. Question what you read. But also, give journalists a break. We’re human. We make mistakes. We have biases. But we’re trying our best.
About the Author: Sarah Jenkins has been a journalist for over two decades, working for various major publications. She currently writes for Googlenewssites.com and lives in Pittsburgh with her cat, Whiskers. She loves bad coffee, good books, and holding powerful people accountable.
