Ethics In Journalism – Use Of First Person
This is Part 8 in an 11 Part Series Examining Journalistic Ethics.
ALLIANCE – When is it appropriate to use the first person when writing a news article? The answer is virtually never. Using the first person puts the author as the subject of the story. This leads to the interjection of the reporter’s own personal and political beliefs.
The Associated Press Style Book explains a reporter should never be the subject of their own news articles. There are some, but few occurrences when it becomes acceptable for a reporter to refer to “I,” “us” and “we.”
As a general rule, the only time it is acceptable for a reporter to refer to their self in an article is if that journalist is the only witness to an event. If the reporter is the only one to see a meteorite strike the ground, then the reporter writes the article from their perspective. Any time there are other witnesses, other people to interview and research can replace the reporter’s own experience, a reporter should put in a lot of consideration into whether or not to put themselves into their article.
Perhaps the most important thing a reporter or journalist have to sell is their credibility. If readers, listeners or viewers do not trust a person or organization as honest and trustworthy, it may put them off from that source – perhaps even many more sources – as worthy of their time and attention.
When a reporter writes in the first person, that reporter’s work may be seen as personal, biased and poorly researched. This is something that is not likely to increase that reporter or the reporter’s publication patronage if someone is seeking objective news.
Personal opinions have no place in a news article. If a journalist writes a review or feature it is still best not to use oneself as a source of information on the subject.
Personal opinion as well as open political affiliations often polarize the reporter or publication as being extreme in the liberal or conservative sense. As with personal opinions, personal political beliefs have no place in trustworthy news.
In virtually all cases, the use of first person is not acceptable. It sets that reporter up as biased, opinionated and therefor not to be taken seriously. As credibility is all a reporter has to sell, has to market, keeping one’s ethics, honesty and integrity at a higher standard may greatly increase the value of that reporter’s work.
Journalistic Ethics Series Article 1 of 11 – Personal Opinion
Journalistic Ethics Series Article 2 of 11 – Statistics and Numbers
Journalistic Ethics Series Article 3 of 11 – Political Affiliation
Journalistic Ethics Series Article 4 of 11 – Fabrication and Manipulation
Journalistic Ethics Series Article 5 of 11 – Attribution and Plagiarism
Journalistic Ethics Series Article 6 of 11 – Self-Censorship
Journalistic Ethics Series Article 7 of 11 – Data and Information Sources
Journalistic Ethics Series Article 9 of 11 – Favors, Gifts and Financial Gain
Journalistic Ethics Series Article 10 of 11 – Reviews and Giving Orders