I’ve been pontificating on this subject for a long time, but today Robert Niles nailed it succinctly:
The old rule: You can’t cover something in which you are personally involved.
The new rule: Tell your readers how you are involved and how that’s shaped your reporting.The old rule: You must present all sides of a story, being fair to each.
The new rule: Report the truth and debunk the lies.The old rule: There must be a wall between advertising and editorial.
The new rule: Sell ads into ad space and report news in editorial space. And make sure to show the reader the difference.
The whole piece is well worth reading. And I’ve got a treatise on the last couplet that I’m contributing to Stuff Journalists Like this weekend.
