Media and politics: A complicated relationship since 1789.
According to the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Committee, “no” is always the answer as to whether journalists should get involved with politics.
Journalists have an ethical obligation to avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived, and to remain free of associations that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.
But since the 1800s, reputable media organizations have endorsed presidential candidates. Editorials are published every four years submitting the editorial board’s opinions and taking a stance on the presidential candidate of their choice.
According to SPJ, political endorsements could be seen by some editorial boards as part of their responsibility to their community. But it does not stop readers from associating a newspaper with a particular political view.
This presidential election has caused controversy, leaving some supporting what The New York Times referred to as “the lesser of two evils.”
The 2016 election caused The Arizona Republic to endorse a democratic candidate over a republican for the first time since the publication began in 1890.
USA Today broke a decade-long streak of staying out of the presidential endorsements this election season by their statement “Trump is unfit for the presidency.”
This year The Atlantic published their third endorsement since they were founded in 1860. Throughout their history as a publication, The Atlantic has endorsed Abraham Lincoln, Lyndon B. Johnson and now Hillary Clinton.
Years ago, news broadcast was about reporting facts. Now stations infuse their content with commentary and political analysis. It is important for media organizations to remain unbiased and stick to being “fair and balanced.”
A good news organization is diverse, representing different points of views to fairly represent their audience and remain non-partisan.
When it came down to The Oswegonian endorsing a candidate, the office was torn on the idea of fully supporting a single candidate due to the representation of Oswego State students and the diversity within our editorial board. Whether it be pro or anti Trump or Clinton, The Oswegonian did not want to jeopardize its reputation of unbiased independent reporting.
It is the media’s role to inform and to cover content that addresses the issues readers care most about. It is up to the press to support the voters and give them information they need in order to make an educated decision about our country’s future.
It is important to recognize a publication’s platform and to not let it influence your own right to vote. Educate yourself. Expose yourself to different media organizations. Filter through the commentary and accept only fact.
It is a citizen’s right to vote, but it is the media’s job to support them.
