[MUSIC] We should certainly be on the lookout for bias, a long-term pattern of unfairness, in the news media. With that said, there's a place for opinions in journalism. This comes, though, with two important clarifications. Number one: Yes, there are many opinions in news reports, but they are not journalist's opinions. They are the opinions of the people who journalists have interviewed. Number two, yes, there is such a thing as opinion journalism, but opinion journalism is not news reporting. It serves a different purpose. Let me explain. When you have a big news story, like a fatal ferry accident, you have many news reports on that event. Each news story could include interviews with victims, rescue workers, government officials, and others who might have expressed their opinions to the reporters. Their opinions in the news reports are there to inform us of their views and perspectives. Written opinions and broadcast commentaries are not news reports. In opinion journalism, writers and commentators share their own viewpoints and show you how you could interpret the information you get from news reports. Opinion is defined as a view, a judgement, or an appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter. You find journalistic opinion expressed, for example, in book reviews, movie reviews and restaurant reviews, editorials and opinion columns in print publications, and commentary on television and radio. With opinion journalism, like all journalism, we expect commentators to adhere to those three fundamental elements, verification, independence, and accountability. Opinion journalists should support their views with facts. For example, a columnist who argues in favor of increasing immigration into her country would site statistics to demonstrate that immigrants have a positive economic impact on the countries they immigrate to. Not everyone will agree with this opinion, but even opinion journalists have an obligation to report the facts. Opinion journalists must also maintain their independence. This may seem to be a peculiar expectation of a journalist who is giving her opinion. Nevertheless, a columnist who supports a political candidate should never receive any money or favors from that candidate. Even opinion journalists should stay free of outside influence. And like news reporters, opinion journalists should take responsibility for their work and correct errors when necessary. The journalist's name should be on the article. When opinion journalists embrace V.I.A., they buttress their judgements with facts. They reach their judgements honestly, without an interested party swaying them, and they stand by their work. News organizations that employ opinion journalists must also be accountable by clearly labeling opinion so that consumers can clearly distinguish it from news reporting. Labels like opinion, review, column, commentary identify pieces as opinionated. Unfortunately, websites often fail to label opinion journalism. Without appropriate labels, you need to look for clues that, indeed, you are reading, watching, or listening to an opinion piece. One clue is the use of the first-person voice. The words “I” and “we” are used to express opinions, I think, I believe. Also, look out for devices used to persuade you, such as exaggeration, emotionally loaded words and phrases, and sarcasm and parody. So why do we need opinion journalism? Because good opinion journalists can give us great insight, especially when we don't know just what to make of complicated stories or situations. They open our eyes to new ways of looking at the world. They challenge our assumptions. They are sometimes helpful when we try to develop our own points of view. To get the most value out of opinion journalism, however, you need to do your homework first. Otherwise, you risk becoming someone else's mouthpiece. You should start with news reports to become familiar with the issues. You should be ready to accept that people look at things differently and that you can learn from others. It's also important to be able to recognize the difference between authentic opinion journalism and fact-free tirades that masquerade as opinion journalism. There are many different terms for phony opinion journalism, but we like this one: Bloviation. Bloviators make assertions with little if any factual support. In other words, they disregard the V in V.I.A. Instead of verifying, they share their unfiltered, unsupported opinions. >> [VIDEO: “A full examination and workup … “ >> “Look at this video right here. Watch her reaction, because it almost seems seizure-esque to me.”] >> Their tone tends to be highly emotional. >> [VIDEO: “This is America! How many of you people want to pay for your neighbor's mortgage that has an extra bathroom and can't pay their bills? Raise their hand.” >> “Boooo!” >> “President Obama, are you listening?”] >> The shock of their words is a cover for their lack of verification. Opinion is a significant part of journalism. Opinion pieces can help us make sense of news reports. They can expose us to different perspectives we may not have considered. They can engage us in meaningful public discussions and debates. But there is valid opinion journalism which follows the standards of V.I.A. And there is bloviation, which avoids any attempt at supporting opinions with evidence. [MUSIC]
