What Journalists Get Wrong About ‘Objectivity’

Objectivity has long been the sacred cow of journalism. But it’s time we rethink what it really means.

Journalism is too opaque and misunderstood. Chills gives a behind-the-scenes look at how dangerous investigative journalism gets made.

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I’ve been posting a series of threads on Twitter and wanted to share them with you. Here’s one.

Objectivity has long been the sacred cow of journalism. But it’s time we rethink what it really means.

1. The myth: Objectivity = neutrality. The reality: Objectivity = honesty and accountability.

2. You can’t remove yourself from a story completely. But you can acknowledge where you stand — and work transparently from there.

3. Telling the truth isn’t a bias. It’s a responsibility.

4. Not all “sides” deserve equal weight. Giving a platform to lies in the name of balance is just bad reporting.

5. Audiences aren’t fooled by false neutrality. They’re hungry for clarity. For facts. For reporters who care more about accuracy than optics.

6. It’s okay to care. It’s okay to have a point of view — if it’s built on reporting, not ego.

7. Let’s stop hiding behind “objectivity” and start standing for truth, fairness and depth.

Journalism isn’t about appearing neutral. It’s about earning trust.

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