The word objectivity has been beaten into all our heads for so many years now, that it almost seems like we "have" to believe it. It's not that I don't believe in objectivity, well, actually let's stop there. One persons reality is another persons fantasy. Some people see the glass half-full, while others see the glass half-empty. Objectivity is one of those words that people like to throw around to describe things the way they ought to be. A lot of things SHOULD be a certain way, but aren't. Look at the MLB. Should there be zero steroids in the game, sure, but will it ever happen, almost certainly not. Just because things should be one way, doesn't mean that they will or can be that way.
I don't want to sound like I am knocking on objectivity, but the better point raised in the reading has to do with the idea that journalist can't go investigate something and report back what they have found without having official, on the record sources. Why is this? People thing that just because you are a reporter, that you shouldn't have an opinion? If this is the case, then people in this country need to wake up. EVERYONE has an opinion on everything, and not matter how hard they try and how much they hide it, it comes through in one way or another.
If a journalist finds out that something is wrong or corrupt, they should be able to report that without the fear of not having 10 on-the-record sources to corroborate their evidence. Reporting is reporting, it's not copying, it's not listening, it's the act of taking off your blinders to the world and investigating what is wrong and right. If that means giving you opinion, then that's the way I want my news.
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