“There can be no higher law in journalism than to tell the truth and to shame the devil.” — Walter Lippman.

Everyone agrees that journalists must tell the truth. Yet lately the line between the truth and what is newsworthy has become blurred.

We desire that the information we receive from the news to be truthful is elemental; think Cronkite, Murrow, Brinkley or Brokaw — serious journalists that we knew gave us the truth whether it was good or bad. Since news is the material that people use to learn and think about the world beyond themselves, the most important quality is that it must be useable and reliable.

It seems lately that the truth is too complicated for us to pursue. Or perhaps it doesn’t exist, because we are all subjective individuals. There are interesting arguments, maybe, on some philosophical level, even valid. An opinion is a view or a judgement formed in your mind regarding a particular matter. Not all opinions are formed from actual facts. I happen to pride myself that my opinions are formed after having all points of view. I have been told that opinions are like a**holes and everyone has them, butt (ha-ha) no one should be vilified for their opinions.

So, with that in mind, does a journalist have an obligation to tell the truth? Not if you talk to Chuck Todd, moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press, he has stated quite frankly that it is not his job to seek the truth, but he calls himself a journalist. We, as a nation have always turned to the news to get the facts; if we have to personally validate what we see and read; why should we bother?

Fake news has been a popular topic lately even though a large portion has taken these stories to be true. Are you aware that a group has taken the spreading of fake news as a way to financially enrich themselves at the cost to others not caring who it effects?

Journalism by nature is reactive and practical rather than introspective and philosophical. The serious literature by journalists thinking through such issues is not rich, and what little there is, most journalists have not read. Rather than defend the techniques and methods for finding the truth, journalists have tended to deny they exist. Whether it is secrecy or inability, the failure of journalists to articulate what they do leaves us all the more suspicious, that the press is either deluding itself or hiding something.

Mind you many “news sources” fill the airwaves with questionable stories that are repeated so often to the public it is often referred to as ‘beating a dead horse’ until you believe it. The obvious force-feeding through repetiveness presents two sides of the story with regard to public interest and opinion. Gullibility and inherent mistrust swirl around us fervently.

Most media entities are largely owned by conservative conglomerates or businesses that have agendas as to what news we get to see nowadays. Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth, unfortunately that is unrealistic. Engaging an audience by whatever means necessary is the golden rule, because ratings bring in money. When the truth doesn’t suffice, it is often abandoned, fabricated, sensationalized or twisted to gain ratings.

I’m sure there is still truth in journalism somewhere, but it is likely that it only pertains to matters of no importance. The golden days of investigative journalism are far and few. To be found, you must be skeptical, picky and chose you news sources carefully for I fear that it soon will die. Yet what is even more tragic is the fact that there are people that the scandals and secrets that were once brought to light by brave souls with integrity are a thing of the past.

I’d like to wish all of those who read my column: Les Fetes Merveilleux!

Cath Kestler is a resident of Silver Creek. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com.