'Basic facts' must be complemented by 'right facts' for coverage to ring true to readers

Value No. 2: Accuracy/Authenticity

JVI editors agreed on the importance of getting the basic facts right (such as names, addresses, time and place).

But getting the facts right is not the same as getting the "right facts." Editors said newspapers must provide the background, context and perspective required to paint a complete picture for people. When it comes to accuracy, the "right facts" means reflecting the tone, language, experiences and emotions of the public – coverage that "rings true" to readers.

What is more, the group said, accuracy means that journalists weave together information that provides readers with a sense of thoroughness and coherence. As one editor said, journalists must "assemble a moving picture over time."

Editors termed this type of news coverage authentic – not just "accurate." It is something that occurs over time, not just in one story. Authenticity conveys what people see, hear and experience living in their communities. Authenticity depends on how well journalists practice the other values in this framework.

The group said that authentic coverage might take time, is challenging and requires journalists to have more knowledge and understanding of the issues and communities they cover. It also means journalists must question their assumptions and preconceived views and how they affect news coverage.

Newsroom checklist

What does it mean to provide accurate, authentic coverage?

Consider how to ...

• Get the basic facts right (such as names, addresses, time, place). If readers believe journalists can't get the "little things" right, they won't trust us with context and nuance.
• Provide the "right facts" – background, context and perspective – and understand these dimensions before telling the story.
• Produce coverage that "rings true" to people – which requires reflecting the tone, language, experiences, emotions and range of voices of the communities we cover.
• Capture the essence of the story – convey the nuance of issues and events, so readers can make judgments for themselves.
• Uncover and provide meaning – synthesize and weave together all that we hear and learn into a clear, coherent package.
• Be open with readers about what journalists know and don't know – and how we came to learn it.
• Question our own assumptions and preconceived views – think through how our journalistic biases might influence news coverage.

Ask yourself...

• How much context and perspective can news coverage provide given time constraints newsrooms face? What does this look like in short – reader-friendly – stories?
• How much background information should journalists provide to be seen as accurate? For example, how much should we share about our sources – such as their background, experiences, positions – so readers can see how a story was shaped?
• How much do journalists need to understand about a person's point of view in order to provide coverage that readers will perceive as authentic?
• How should we capture the tone, experiences, emotion and language of the community? How will we ensure that we go beyond the language of "officials" and "experts" to reflect how a community talks and thinks about an issue?

Contact ASNE Project Director Diana Mitsu Klos for more information about the Journalism Values Institute.