4.4 How Newspapers Control the Public’s Access to Information and Impact American Pop Culture
Since 1896, The New York Times has printed the phrase “All the News That’s Fit to Print” as its masthead motto. The phrase itself seems innocent enough, and many probably skim over it without giving it a second thought. Yet, the phrase represents an interesting phenomenon in the newspaper industry: control. Audiences have criticized papers for the way they present stories, yet newspapers continue to print—and readers continue to buy them.
“All the News That’s Fit to Print”
In 1997, The New York Times publicly claimed itself as “an independent newspaper, entirely fearless, free of ulterior influence and unselfishly devoted to the public welfare (Herman, 1998).” Despite this public proclamation of objectivity, critics have suggested that the paper’s publishers choose which articles to print based on personal financial gain. In reaction to that statement, scholar Edward S. Herman wrote that this causes an issue because The New York Times “defines public welfare in a manner acceptable to their elite audience and advertisers (Herman, 1998).” For example, during the 1993 debate over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), The New York Times’ content indicated its support for the agreement. In doing so, the newspaper exercised editorial control over its publication and the information it disseminated to readers.
However, many other news organizations besides The New York Times face accusations of controlling which stories to cover. In his review of Read All About It: The Corporate Takeover of America’s Newspapers, Steve Hoenisch, editor of Criticism.com, offers these harsh words about what drives the stories printed in today’s newspapers:
I’ve always thought of daily newspapers as the guardians of our—meaning the public’s—right to know. The guardians of truth, justice, and public welfare, and all that. But who am I fooling? America’s daily newspapers don’t belong to us. Nor, for that matter, do they even seek to serve us any longer. They have more important concerns now: appeasing advertisers and enriching stockholders (Hoenisch).
As readership declines, newspapers are increasingly compelled to answer to advertisers and shareholders as they decide which stories to cover.
However, editorial control does not end there. Journalists not only determine what stories to tell but also how to present them. This issue is more delicate than that of selection. Most newspaper readers still expect journalists to report the news objectively and demand that they contribute their stories in this manner. However, careful public scrutiny can burden journalists, while accusations of controlling information affect their affiliated newspapers. However, this scrutiny takes on importance as the public turns to journalists and newspapers to learn about the world.
Audiences expect journalists to hold themselves to high standards concerning truth and originality. The journalism industry does not tolerate fabrication and plagiarism. If a journalist is caught using these tactics, their career is likely over, having betrayed the public’s trust and damaged the publication’s reputation. For example, The New York Times reporter Jayson Blair lost his job in 2003 when the paper discovered his plagiarism and fabrication, and The New Republic fired journalist Stephen Glass in 1998 for inventing stories, quotes, and sources. In addition, NBC suspended and demoted Brian Williams as anchor of NBC Nightly News after he fabricated details about his experiences during the Iraq War.
Despite the critiques of the newspaper industry and its control over information, the majority of newspapers and journalists take their roles seriously. Editors work with journalists to verify sources and double-check facts, ensuring readers receive accurate information. In this way, the control that journalists and newspapers exert serves to benefit their readers, who can expect the closest thing to the truth when reading the publication’s coverage.
The Gray Lady’s Repentance: When The New York Times Apologized
Despite criticism from The New York Times, the renowned newspaper sometimes revisits its old stories to offer a new, more balanced perspective. One such example occurred in 2004, when, in response to criticism of their handling of the Iraq War, The New York Times issued an apology. The apology read:
We have found a number of instances of coverage that was not as rigorous as it should have been. In some cases, information that was controversial then, and seems questionable now, was insufficiently qualified or allowed to stand unchallenged. Looking back, we wish we had been more aggressive in re-examining the claims as new evidence emerged—or failed to emerge (New York Times, 2004).
Although the apology posed some risk—it essentially admitted guilt in controlling a controversial story—The New York Times demonstrated a commitment to ethical journalism.
Watchdog Journalism
Watchdog journalists work for the benefit of the public. This form of journalism provides the public with information about government officials or business owners while holding those officials to high standards of operation. W. Lance Bennett and William Serrin define watchdog journalism as:
(1) independent scrutiny by the press of the activities of government, business and other public institutions, with an aim toward (2) documenting, questioning, and investigating those activities, to (3) provide publics and officials with timely information on issues of public concern (Bennett & Serrin, 2005).
The role that Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of The Washington Post played in uncovering information about the Watergate break-in and subsequent scandal, which ultimately led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation, represents a famous example of watchdog journalism. Newspapers and journalists often laud the practice, one of the most critical functions of newspapers, yet these difficult stories require rigorous investigation, which in turn demands more time. Many journalists often try to keep up with news as it breaks, so they do not have the time to research the information or hone the skills required to write a watchdog story. “Surviving in the newsroom—doing watchdog stories—takes a great deal of personal and political skill. Reporters must have a sense of guerilla warfare tactics to do well in the newsroom (Bennett & Serrin, 2005).”
To succeed, watchdog journalists must investigate stories, ask tough questions, and face the possibility of unpopularity when they attempt to expose corruption or mismanagement. At the same time, readers can support newspapers that employ this style of journalism, encouraging the press to engage in the challenging watchdog role. As scholars have observed, “Not surprisingly, watchdog journalism functions best when reporters understand it and news organizations and their audiences support it (Bennett & Serrin, 2005).”
Impact of Television and the Internet on Print
Newspapers have control over which stories they tell and how they present those stories. Just as the newspaper industry has undergone significant changes over the years, journalistic writing styles have also transformed. Many times, such changes reflected a shift in readership trends; since the 1950s, however, newspapers have had to compete with television journalism and, more recently, the Internet. Both television and the Internet have profoundly affected newspaper audiences and journalistic styles.
Case Study: USA Today
USA Today, founded in 1982 and known for its easy-to-read style, exemplifies a paper that has adapted its approach to remain competitive with television and the Internet. In the past, newspapers placed their primary focus on the written word. Although some newspapers still employ written narration, many papers have shifted their techniques to attract a more television-savvy audience. In the case of USA Today, the emphasis lies on the second track—the visual story, which is dominated by large images accompanied by brief text. This emphasis mimics the television presentation format, allowing the paper to cater to readers with short attention spans.
Journalistic writing styles that derive from television more frequently use the present tense, rather than the past tense, in articles. This shift likely stems from television journalism’s tendency to allow a story to unfold as it is told. This subtle but noticeable shift from past to present tense in narration sometimes brings a more dramatic element to news articles, which may attract readers who otherwise turn to television news programs for information.
Like many newspapers, USA Today has redesigned its image and style to keep pace with the sharp immediacy of the Internet and the entertainment value of television. The paper’s management was so serious about competing with television that from 1988 to 1990, they mounted a syndicated television series titled USA Today: The Television Show (later retitled USA Today on TV) (Internet Movie Database). Despite its short run, the show demonstrated the paper’s focus on reaching out to a visual audience, a core value that it has maintained to this day. Today, USA Today has established itself as a credible and reliable news source, despite its unorthodox approach to journalism.
