Mark Henderson

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On the News: What journalists know and what we can report

  • Posted by Mark Henderson Aug 25 - Filed in News - #Worcester  #journalism  #Mark Henderson  - 472 views

    Now seems like a good time to explain what journalists can and, more importantly, cannot report.

    There have been a couple of instances on social media this week where journalists have been accused of either not knowing what's going on or trying to hide facts.

    While it is true that many times journalists get tips from the public, our work doesn't end there. That's where it begins. While the public can post to their heart's content, reporters need to find some way to confirm that the news contained in the tip is real.

    Look at it this way: Pretend you're writing something, but after every sentence there's someone reading over your shoulder who asks, "How do we know this?"

    This is exactly the wording my first editor used AFTER EVERY SENTENCE when I started writing news for The Evening Gazette in 1983. I hated it at the time, but it's the best lesson I ever got. It's a habit that's stuck with me to this day.

    Having said that, it does not mean we're always right; sometimes documents aren't correct because they lack context or multiple sources have bad information. What's important, though, is that you can trust real journalists are working in good faith to present just what is true.

    As this relates to accusations that we don't know what's going on or are trying to cover things up, please know that while something may not have been reported, it's certainly not for a lack of asking questions. Journalists almost always know far more than the average person about a given story, but, for any number of reasons, we cannot report it.

    The idea that we don't know what's happening with a large and impactful story is not just wrong, it's 180 degrees wrong.

    So, next time, if you can help us nail down the facts of a story, please step up. Journalism, the art of letting people know what's really going on, is a team sport, so your help will be appreciated.

    Hope this clarifies things a bit.

     

    Mark Henderson is the founder of the016.com and has been a journalist in Worcester since 1983. His career includes 25 years on the staff of the Telegram & Gazette, where he was the digital director and deputy managing editor.

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