PINISI Discretion Review
Volume 2, Issue 2, March 2019

Truth and Objectivity in the Ethics of Journalism: An Appraisal

Edward Uzoma Ezedike (University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers State)
Emmanuel B. Eyo (University of Calabar)
Samuel Akpan Bassey (University of Calabar)



Article Info

Publish Date
31 Mar 2019

Abstract

Truth and objectivity are fundamental principles of the ethics of journalism. The quality of good journalism in any society, among others, is measured by these two indispensable principles. Because of their importance to the profession, this paper interrogates these concepts in the light of their practicability. Can truth and objectivity be achieved in the field of journalism in view of our various conceptions of truth? How can we deal with the problem of concealment of truth and misleading reports in journalism? Are journalists morally bound to tell the whole truth to the public always? These are the key questions this paper seeks to address. It explores the various notions of truth, namely: the correspondence theory, the coherent theory and the pragmatic theory. The question of objectivity in the presentation of information to the public was equally addressed. Can objectivity be ever achieved in journalism? What are the prospects and problems of journalistic objectivism? The paper adopts the method of critical and textual analysis. In all, the paper concludes that truth and objectivity can be achieved in journalism if practitioners are well tutored in professional ethics with a consciousness of its concrete internalization and actual practicalization.

Copyrights © 2019






Journal Info

Abbrev

UDR

Publisher

Subject

Decision Sciences, Operations Research & Management Economics, Econometrics & Finance Social Sciences

Description

PINISI Discretion Review is an-Opened Access journal and published twice a year every March and September. It publishes the research (no longer than 5 years after the draft proposed) in term of PINISI Discretion Review: public administration, public policy, management, bussiness administration, ...