As the Readers’ Editor (RE), I recognise the crucial distinction between reasonable scepticism and total cynicism. My offer to explain once a month at least one political story published in this newspaper generated not only interest but also a fair amount of reasonable scepticism. Readers wanted to know on what basis the monthly political story would be selected. Why is politics getting prioritised over the economy, they asked. And if readers seek clarification for more than one story, on what basis will the RE choose the story for critical evaluation? The fundamental drive for this initiative is to strengthen the bond between the newspaper and its readers and not permit the external climate to corrode the trust factor.
Earning trust
Trust is not a mathematically quantifiable attribute. It is a qualitative attribute that has psychological and emotional components. When U.S. President Donald Trump started his vicious attack on the press, more than 300 publications in the U.S. came together to run editorials on the freedom of the press. While welcoming this decision, media scholars also asked journalists to defend their work through action. Journalists were told in no uncertain terms that trust in a news organisation develops when people know that they can always turn to a news organisation for reliable information.
There is a tricky aspect in the relationship between the people and journalists. How do people know that they are being heard? The journalistic community always feels that its coverage reflects the priorities and aspirations of the people; hence, journalism itself is proof that the profession is sensitive to the society at large. However, with information on social media being manipulated by those with partisan interests, journalists are forced to walk the extra mile. Trusting News, a joint venture between the American Press Institute and the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute, focuses on one key area of disconnect between the public and journalists. The initiative puts the onus on journalists to speak about how they do their job, their commitment to accuracy, their motivations to dig deep and present a fairly comprehensive picture. It helps journalists and news organisations anticipate and address criticism in a proactive manner. It wants those in the media to engage with the people when they have questions. Trusting News points out that this effort does not involve a huge technological intervention; it shows a willingness to engage and be transparent. It shows that earning trust is the job of journalists.
Nothing gives a newspaper more pleasure than the fact that its readers retain confidence in its editorial decisions, its journalistic values, and its ethical practices in the newsroom. Every news ombudsman has his or her personal approach to effectively build trust. In its May 2000 issue, Granta magazine carried an extract of Diana Athill’s excellent memoir Stet, titled Editing Vidia , which, in a way, helped me learn not only about the craft of editing but also about life. Athill said about good editing: “It was like removing layers of crumpled brown paper from an awkwardly shaped parcel, and revealing the attractive present which it contained.” She has written extensively about things which life teaches us. Her two valuable lessons — “avoid romanticism and abhor possessiveness” — are also lessons for me as an ombudsman.
Why political stories?
I do not romanticise journalists, though my romance for journalism is deep. I maintain a certain critical distance from the way words are produced in this newspaper. The exercise to talk about one political story a month is not a one-way communication to extol the virtues of journalism. It is a conscious effort to listen and share. I invite readers to suggest the story about which they want to know more. The idea of examining political stories in the run-up to the election is simple: It is these stories that are subjected to misinterpretation the most on social media. Tweaking stories through algorithms, using key words in those stories to misunderstand them, and converting the public space into ideological silos are some of the reasons behind this initiative. It is often said that journalism strives to make the significant interesting in an ethical and accountable manner. Talking about the process of reporting is part of this imagination.
readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
