Tuesday, April 25, 2006
The value of conflict
Conflict is very often seen as a negative thing, but it doesn't have to be. I agree that conflict is an important part of good reporting. Including conflict can be something as simple as getting both sides of a controversial issue. I think that conflict is actually what helps the media adhere to values such as accuracy and equity. Conflict forces them to get the whole picture, to get different viewpoints, and get different sides of a story. That keeps them out of it. They are just giving every possible amount of information they can give, and then allowing the readers to make a decision about what they believe, or what side they are on.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I completely agree with you. The world is full of conflict. If that isn't reflected in journalism, how well are we doing our job?
I think many readers also WANT to hear about conflict. Back in elementary school and jr. high, when there was a fight, word spread fast and everyone came running to see what was going on. A lot of kids would pick a side and start cheering. Others would just watch. Conflict in the news can be similar. People flock toward the big issues they've heard about. They gather information and often pick a side. The more information people have and the more perspectives they have on an issue, the more able they will be to choose the best stance.
Post a Comment