Objectivity

News organizations are a critical source of information, and as such should be held to the highest standards of objectivity. News organizations that promote specific agendas, or attempt to entertain, should cease to present themselves to the public as news agents and be honest about their motivations and methods.

The desire for objective voices in the news is a longstanding one. In 1967, the Public Broadcasting Act required "strict adherence to objectivity and balance in all programs or series of programs of a controversial nature." (H., 1975). Canada has a law that insists news broadcasts deal only in factual information, with no conjecture or misrepresentation, thus preventing news agencies from promoting specific agendas. Proponents of such laws, and of objectivity in news in general, point to the role that news agencies play as the "fifth estate," a public service role to provide information that the public can then digest...
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