by Lenora Reynolds

Created on: May 03, 2008

Journalists in countries engaged in conflict can be objective. It is one of the highest standards in reporting to be fair and stick to the facts. Personal opinion has its place but should not interfere with the truth.

Putting an emotional or prejudicial twist can throw the whole article into question. What was left out that did not agree with the writer's point of view would be one question. How was the story twisted to present it in a way favorable to that point of view would be another.

It would be extremely difficult to find a country that is not engaged in some form of conflict. People do not always agree about everything. There are different forms of conflict that deal with different issues. Here in the United States there are many disagreements on how to fix problems such as foreclosures, education and the job market. This makes objective reporting a major asset to the people who live there.

When a subject is looked at fairly, honestly and without preconceived ideas, it is easier to put it in perspective. The truth is usually not one way or the other, but somewhere in the middle. It can be difficult not to let emotion overwrite the article. It is also not as entertaining to many people who see facts as dried out and boring.

One of the things I remember from going to school concerned debates. That a really good debater could argue both sides equally well. The first part was to know the subject through research and understanding. The second part was good public speaking. What seems to pass for debate for many people is two sides behaving like immature children. They yell, do not do their homework on the subject, and fill their speech with duh, duh, duh. It would be nice if they knew what they were talking about, stayed calm, and could speak eloquently.

The more intense the subject and source of the conflict, the more important it is to write with the head and not the heart. Getting the facts and putting them down on paper, in an interesting and easy to read format, is the best way to educate people to the subject.

Stating the facts in a clear, concise way, without exaggeration, hyped up emotion and preconceived ideas is probably the highest ideal. In a situation of mass murder the facts clearly convey to the mind and imagination how dire the situation is. It does not need to be dressed up with slanted reporting one way or the other.

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