Canterbury Christ Church University

Media and Cultural Studies

Good News, Bad News
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Is objectivity achievable in
modern day news?
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By Sorin Pavel
th
29 of March 2011
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The current paper is an investigation into the notion of objectivity, if it is an achievable

goal in modern day news. The discussion is centred on the themes of feminist critiques,
gate-keeping and cultural hegemony; the discussion will encompass all mediums,
without focusing on a specific one. The premise, from which this author writes, is that
objectivity, in the case of journalism is a social construct, different from the philosophical
notion, which is connected to neutrality and non-partisanship. The author argues that it
is a social construct, because, journalism as a practice deals with the investigation and
reporting of events, events that are shaped and relevant ‘by’ and ‘to’ a particular group.

Subsequently, the paper will be divided in four parts. Firstly an introduction, which will look
at the notion of objectivity in general terms; secondly, the essay will put under review
feminist critiques, gate-keeping and cultural hegemony theories. Thirdly, it will look at
journalism and its mechanisms, followed by the conclusion.

Objectivity is a term that has an elusive definition and an even more elusive applicability,
thought to be the blinding light of the sun in Platoʼs Cave allegory, the concept is used in
different mods and has different uses. The definitions for objectivity vary from use to use, it is
defined predominantly by scholars of philosophy, science, history and journalism. In
philosophy for example the term is used, generally, to present a statement that is "mind-
independent", that cannot be subjected to the judgement of a conscious mind. In science a
statement is objective if it cannot be falsified by an independent, if the process can be
repeated under the same conditions.

In regards to objectivity in journalism as a social construct, Schutz argues, “there is a

basic difference in the structure of the social world and the world of nature” (1954,
p.257), furthermore from a methodological stand point the author argues that “that the
methods of the social sciences are toto coelo different from those of the natural
Is objectivity achievable in
modern day news?
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sciences.” (ibid). Tuchman argues on this difference that it is inherent in the practice of
journalism he states that there is a difference between newsmen and social scientists in
regards to defending and defining their objectivity:

“The social scientist is a "thinker"; the newsman a, "man of action. "That is, the social
scientist may engage in reflexive epistemological examination (Schutz 1962,pp. 245 ff.);
the newsman cannot. He must make immediate decisions concerning validity, reliability
and "truth" in order to meet the problems imposed by the nature of his task-processing
information called news, a depletable consumer product made everyday.”
(1972, p.662)

Berger and Luckmann argue that reality itself is a social construct, “man’s
relationship to his environment is characterize by world-openness” (1966, p.46), even
more, the relationship between men in a social context, produce, over time, concepts
and mental representations of each other’s actions. When these roles are brought forth
to other members, the interactions become institutionalised, thus meaning, through the
previously mentioned process becomes institutionalized and embedded in society. Thus
knowledge, conceptions and what people believe of what reality is, become embedded in
the fabric of society. (Ibid, 48-51)

After presenting objectivity the essay will review the main criticisms that are brought
forth to journalism. In consequence, it seems that the world is a footnote not just to
Plato, but to Marx (1845) as well, starting from the concept that “the ideas of the ruling
class are in every epoch the ruling ideas”, the paper will explore feminist critiques, gate-
keeping and cultural hegemony theories on journalism.

The Feminist critique of journalism, working on the same line with feminism, Watkins
and Emerson ague that it presents itself “as a challenge to the culture industry's
misrepresentations of women” (2000, p.152) emphasizing the disproportionate male
presence and the domination of women. Touchman, argues on this, that it is a part of
current society, a baggage from the past, the author states:

“Our society, like any other society, must pass on its social heritage from one generation
to the next. The societal need for continuity and transmission of dominate values may be
particularly acute in times of rapid change, such as our own. Then, individuals need
some familiarity with the past, if society is to survive, but they must also be prepared to

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meet the changing conditions. Nowhere is that need as readily identifiable as in the area
of sex roles.” (1978, p.3)

Moreover the Watkins and Emerson (2000, p.152) argue that research into the major
news media organization uncovered that the issues important to the lives of women,
such as employment and wage discrimination, domestic violence, child care, were in
general terms put aside if not completely ignored. What made the news, thus designated
as newsworthy was nothing of the sort previously mentioned; it usually involved male
authority figures and was commented by male figures.

Moving from representation, although it has an important background for

contemporary feminism, van Zoonen (1994, p.12) argues that the movement is involved
not only in the material struggle for equal rights opportunities but also in a symbolic
conflict about the definitions of femininity. Moreover the author states, “traditional
science not only ignores women's themes and experiences it also denies the validity of
women's way of knowing” (ibid, p.15)

Gatekeeping, a term coined by Kurt Lewin, refers to, as White argues (1960, p.160) “the
flow of any news” and its passing through different channels and steps, and, more
importantly, the way in which some of these channels or steps become “gates” through the
news story might or might not pass. He presents the process as communication chain:

“Thus a story is transmitted from one "gatekeeper" after another in the chain of
communications. From reporter to rewrite man, through bureau chief to "state" file
editors at various press association offices, the process of choosing and discarding is
continuously taking place.” (Ibid, p.163)

The criticisms that is brought to the press, according to the author, via the “the gatekeeper”
has lost sight of its goal, to serve the audience. Furthermore the author argues that, in the
selection process “rejection of the stories fall into the category of highly subjective value-
judgments.”(Ibid, p.165) and that there is not a real conscious choice being made.

Additionally, Gatekeeping, according to Shomaker et all (2009, p.73), is a necessary

step in making the news, she argues this from the point of the journalist, who is
“bombarded” with information from a variety of different sources. Thus making news will
not be possible without “selecting, writing, editing, positioning, scheduling, repeating
and otherwise messaging information”, which is gatekeeping. Moreover, Shoemaker and

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Vos (2009, p.13) argue that it involves not only the selection or rejection, but also the
process of changing them, “making them more appealing to the final consumer”.
Shoemaker (1997, p.62) also argues that the process must be placed in the specific
framework of the communication institution, institution that has its “own priorities” and
its constantly influenced by outside forces and that “none of these actors – the
individual, the routine, can escape the fact that it is ties to and draws its sustenance
from the social system”

Cultural Hegemony, represent a Marxist critique of media and journalism, it was first
coined by Antonio Gramsci, and it is defined by Altheide as the “dominance of a certain
way of life and thought and to the way in which that dominant concept of reality is
diffused throughout public as "well as private dimensions of social life” (1984, p.476). In
general terms, cultural hegemony refers to the domination, in a culturally diverse society,
by one of its social classes. Gramsci, wrote in 1916 that:

“Everything that is published is influenced by one idea: that of serving the dominant
class, and which is ineluctably translated into a fact: that of combating the laboring
class. And in fact, from the first to the last line the bourgeois newspaper smells of and
reveals this preoccupation.” (Ibid, 1916)

Although, things have changed profoundly since Gramsci wrote that in 1916, there is still
a presence of the dominant class in media, but in different forms - ideological and
cultural. Altheide (1984, p.476), argues that in regards to reporting, it is subjected to
three assumptions, firstly, it is linked to the socialization and ideology of the journalist,
secondly, the tendency to support and perpetuate the status quo and thirdly, the
negative character of media coverage of foreign news, especially in regards to Third
World countries.

Moreover, ideology, in this respect, serves and it is seen, as Hanitzsch (2007, p.370)
argues, as an integrating part of society. On the same line of argument, ideology is a
“cultural cement’ that holds the journalistic profession together, it forms the foundations
of journalist’s identity.

Concluding on the above, there are some very clear criticisms that are brought to all
three theories, especially in regards to the advent of globalization and the rise of online
journalism. Due to constraints on space, we will only mention them very briefly. Firstly,
they all seem out-dated in regards to certain aspects of economic, political or social theory.

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Secondly, all three theories are subjected to western liberal views on what journalism is
and what should its role be, it does not take into account cultural differences between
media outlets and journalists from different corner of the world. Thirdly, similar to the
previous critique, it presents an Americanised concept of journalism, and the problems
of American society.

After presenting objectivity and the criticism to journalism and media, the essay will
continue the investigation, by analysing the mechanism behind journalism. Thus it
seems only logical to analyse the requirements of the profession. Deuze (2005, p. 446–
447), states that journalists have five tenants to which they have to adhere, firstly,
provide a public service, secondly to be impartial and neutral in their work, thirdly, have a
sense of immediacy, actuality, and speed; and fourthly, have a sense of ethics, validity,
and legitimacy and fifthly. Finally, ought to be autonomous, free, and independent in
their work.

The concept of objectivity in journalism is an integral part of the “ideology” of the

journalist and it relates to the institutional procedures of media organizations. Therefore
the next section of the report will look at (a) the process of recruiting reporters, (b) the
production of news, (c) revenue and ownership.

It seems only natural when discussing the institutional processes of media

organization to start with the initial aspect of any profession, getting hired. The process is
important, because the gatekeeper who retrieves the information is just as significant as
the gatekeeper that makes the final selection. According to Cole (1998, p.74), most
journalists will argue on how “they casually stumbled into journalism”, with no formal
academic background in reporting.

Furthermore Siglemen (1999, p.88) discusses in his case studies that there is no
significant difference in the interview process. The journalist questioned stated that it
was a typical job interview; it did not involve a scrutiny on views of politics, gender or
religion. Therefore the process is not done on ideological or cultural grounds, but rather
on the recruiter’s perception of what makes a good journalist or not. Thus it seems
eloquent that the criticism brought forward, as with gatekeeping, that this is done in a
subjective manner, without any real conscious thought.

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In regards to the production of news, the biggest issue facing practitioners might be
time restraints. Touchman argues that there is a very limited span in which the
practitioner has time to develop his subject. He states “Unless a reporter has drawn an
extended investigatory assignment he generally has less than one working day to
familiarize himself with a story's background to gather information and to write his
assignment”. (1972, p.662). The motivation is mostly economic. News is manufactured
on a daily basis, if the quota for news is not produced than the paper cannot make the
next day edition. Thus profits will suffer and the paper will loose costumers and image,
therefore it is logical to state that time constraints have a very important contribution to
objectivity.

If the success of a journalist is measured in how many of his articles are selected
through gatekeeping, then it is natural that he would seek to gain the approval of the
editor. Sigleman argues, that although gatekeeping has an important role in deciding
which pieces of news will make the edition, socialization has just as much impact. The
author justifies that, “newsman indicated that ‘you can anticipate how they would want
you to cover something after a while’”. Or, in other instances, the editor takes on the
story and edits it to suite a certain stance that he is backing, after a time, the
practitioners in question start making the edits themselves “to save them the time and
trouble." (1999, p.138)

In regards to data gathering, there are three important processes: “going out in the
field”, taking on of a press release and acquisition of content from media aggregators.
The criticisms that the processes receive stand in the subjective manner in which they
are done. For instance in regards to presenting the views of state institutions Fisherman
argues that:

“Newsworkers are predisposed to treat bureaucratic accounts as factual because

newspersonnel participate in upholding a normative order of authorized knowers in
society. Reporters operate with the attitude that officials ought to know what is their job
to know… In particular, a newsworker will recognize an official claim to knowledge not
merely as a claim, but as a credible, competent piece of knowledge. This amounts to a
moral division of labour: officials have and give the facts; reporters merely get them”.
(1980, pp.144-145)

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Subsequently, Herman and Chomsky (2002, p.1) argue, that the structure of the news
making process, can be used by various interest groups and elites, through
manufacturing consent, to shape the agenda of the public sphere in their own benefit.

There is another important approach that needs covering, and this is revenue
and ownership of media outlets. Ginsberg (1988) argues “While westerners usually
equate the marketplace with freedom of options, the hidden hand of the market can be
almost as potent an instrument of control as the iron fist of the state.” The general
consensus amongst academics is that western media shapes its content, in one-way or
another, according to the policies of its advertisers, benefactors or owners.

To conclude our investigation into objectivity, journalism is criticized from a

variety of viewpoints, each with its eloquent discourse. Firstly, from a gender point of
view, it is a male dominated practice; secondly, the way in which news is selected is
done in a subjective and ideologically determined manner, unconsciously by
gatekeepers; and thirdly, presents the view of a dominant culture. Moreover the
mechanism of its processes suggests that it has a series of institutional flaws, such as:
subjective recruiting process, methodologically flawed data gathering process,
ideological drive, and economic determinism.

Touchman evidently argues “the newsman navigates between libel and absurdity
by identifying ‘objectivity’ with ’facts’ which he or other newsmen observed or which may
be verified“ (1972, p.664) The extent to which the journalistic profession tries to justify
its objectiveness is admirable, but nonetheless pointless. Although, it is important to
note that changes are being made, the advent of online journalism and the borderless
reporting creates a global audience, and thus a global society.

Subsequently the question whether objectivity is achievable in modern day news,

becomes somewhat irrelevant. Objectivity itself is an elusive topic, under scrutiny for
more than two thousand years. As a social construct, the concept of objectivity should be
chased, but in a society of multiperspectivism it cannot be attained, because there is no
absolute truth.

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Word Count
Including Quotes: 2630
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Bibliography
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Chomsky, N. and Herman, E. (2002) Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of

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Cole, P (1998) ’Educating and Training Local Journalists’, In: Franklin, B. ed., Local
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Tuchman, G. (1978) Making News: A Study in the Construction of Reality, New York: The
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