This is why we do what we do

“Springville Journal” editorial policies are printed throughout the paper, not only to allow news and information to be published in a timely manner, but also to inform our readers why we change, edit and remove what we do from the items we print in our publication.

For as long as journalism as we know it has been around, media outlets - whether they be print, radio or TV - have worked to follow journalism ethics and standards. Professional integrity is what our job is built on, and if we cross an ethical line, we have undermined the entire purpose of what we do.

The media does not make the news; we report on it. In its code of ethics, the Society of Professional Journalists said that journalists should “distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.”

Sociologist Michael Schudson, in “Discovering the News,” wrote, “The journalist’s job consists of reporting something called ‘news’ without commenting on it, slanting it or shaping its formulation in any way.” We are in the business of reporting, not opinionating.

Every unattributed article that is published within the pages of this paper is given as a statement of fact. If we make an exception and cross a line from reporting to subjective opinion-making, we open all of our work up to question and dispute. This is why, when we receive a press release or an article, we must remove personal and emotional pleas and phrasing; to not do so would cross that journalistic line. If an article is unsigned - i.e. not a letter to the editor - or has not been submitted by a paid columnist, it is presented to our readers from us, the “Springville Journal” staff members. The ones who cannot give our opinions.

We understand that your news items and announcements are important to you. They are important to us, as well. So, although we may not be able to print everything we receive verbatim, we do strive to retain all pertinent information in articles we print, as well as stay true to the spirit of the submissions.

While it might make sense for us to say that Muammar Gaddafi was a terrible person who got what he deserved, think about what would happen if we said the same thing about a family member of yours who was charged with driving while intoxicated or fleeing the scene of a crime. We have to keep our personal beliefs and opinions out of everything we print; if we make an exception for one thing, how can we not do the same for everything else?

To report rather than editorialize on the news, we must try to take an objective approach to everything we print in the paper.

With that being said, there are avenues in which you can express your opinion. To portray the complex, emotional and personal issues we report on every week, when we complete interviews with friends and neighbors in the community, we gladly quote those whom we speak to. Letters to the editor are, for the most part, untouched and what you write to us is what we print, end of story.

We want to give you news that you can trust. We want you to be able to know that if we present a statement to you, it’s an unbiased fact. Anything less than that is sub-par reporting.

The quality of our entire paper is based on the quality of our writing. Help us give our readers the very best.