Most Journalists Aren't Journalists.

Is It Important That Journalists Are Unbiased? Activists can't be journalists.

Most journalists aren’t journalists. They say they are, but they’re not. In fact, we see so many complaints from media professionals when journalists are excluded from political party conferences or press events. ‘Freedom of the press’ they tweet!

But, if being a journalist means presenting information accurately - how can it be that so many news organisations are openly proud of their biases?

Activists are people who take action to bring about social or political change and there are many people working in the media who get a buzz from enjoying the privileges of the platform on which they work enabling them to influence vast numbers of people. Remember: People vote.

So, it’s important for a journalist to be unbiased. Journalists have a responsibility to report the news accurately and fairly, without letting their own personal biases influence their reporting. This can be a challenge, as journalists are human beings with their own opinions and beliefs. However, it is important for journalists to strive for objectivity in their reporting, in order to ensure that the public is able to get an accurate and unbiased view of the news.

Coming from a family of journalist and completing a two year traineeships as a producer at BBC TV, I’ve learnt to put my personal feelings and ideas aside so I could focus on portraying both sides of every or any story.

There are a number of things that ‘wannabe journalists’, as I’ll call them, can do to try to be more unbiased in their reporting. First, they can be aware of their own biases and try to identify them. Second, they can seek out information from a variety of sources, including those that they disagree with. Third, they can be open to changing their minds in the face of new information.

Ultimately, it is up to each individual journalist to decide how much they are willing to compromise their own beliefs in order to be more unbiased. However, by being aware of their own biases and taking steps to mitigate them, journalists can make a more informed and objective contribution to the public's understanding of the news.

So, what should we ‘master’ before we can confidently claim to be a journalist?

• Be honest with yourself about your own biases.

• Seek out information from a variety of sources, including those that you disagree with.

• Be open to changing your mind in the face of new information.

• Be respectful of the views of others, even if you disagree with them.

• Be willing to listen to the other side of the argument.

• Be willing to compromise.

It is important to remember that being unbiased does not mean that you have to agree with everyone. It simply means that you are willing to consider all sides of an issue and make your decisions based on the best available evidence.

Centrism is key to journalism. Without it, you are just another activist.