In his April 28 op-ed “Journalists, what side of history are you on?”, Gabe Hawkins wrote that journalistic objectivity was “drilled into” his skull during his first year at Medill. I’m glad to hear that, because Medill professors drilled journalistic objectivity into my skull during my first year there more than 60 years ago. It shows that Medill’s values are consistent and have stood the test of time.
My professors taught me that journalism must be based on facts, not feelings. They emphasized the five W’s and the one H — who, what, where, when, why and how — as the basic elements of a news story. They told students to report all sides of a conflict or issue, but not to take sides.
They also warned us never to become part of any story we covered. I believe that still holds true today.
This means reporters should not wear a Black Lives Matter T-shirt while covering a protest. Nor should they wear a MAGA hat while covering a Trump rally. Political reporters must not endorse or campaign for candidates they cover, although they can and should vote because that is their constitutional right and civic responsibility. Business journalists should not invest in companies they cover, and sports reporters should not bet on teams they cover. Involvement is a conflict of interest.
Hawkins questions the career path he chose. He asks, “How can I enter a profession where having a strong opinion is deferential to my work?” While admitting that objectivity is critical to journalism, he argues that journalists face a choice to sacrifice their commitment to objective reporting in favor of standing up for what they feel is right.
His remarks seem to echo the words of Medill Prof. Steven Thrasher when he addressed a crowd at Deering Meadow during the pro-Palestinian encampment last year. “To the Medill students and journalists within ear shot, I say to you: Our work is not about objectivity,” he said. “Our work is about putting your brilliant minds to work and opening your compassionate hearts.”
I was shocked to read these words spoken by a Medill professor and regarded them as an act of unprofessional conduct. Such a statement by a journalism professor would have been unimaginable when I was a Medill student because the political and media landscapes were much less volatile and fragmented than they are today. Most people got their news from broadcasting stations, newspapers and magazines. There were only three TV networks back then, and each aired a 30-minute evening newscast.
The most respected broadcast journalist was CBS Evening News anchor Walter Cronkite, who helmed the program from 1962 to 1981. He was called “the most trusted man in America” because of his objective, unbiased reporting. Viewers of all political persuasions felt they could rely on him to present the straight facts of any story, untainted by personal opinion.
I can’t think of any journalist today who commands that level of respect, partly because the media environment has drastically changed since Cronkite’s era. In addition to broadcast TV networks, there are several politically polarized cable news networks. Fox News is a MAGA mouthpiece, while MSNBC is a bullhorn for the liberal resistance. Partisan rhetoric replaces objective reporting on both outlets. Also joining the media mix are podcasters, influencers and social media platforms that largely eschew objectivity.
Journalists are under intense pressure from the Trump administration. They also face job insecurity in a financially threatened profession. Nearly 10,000 journalists were laid off in the past three years. Legacy and new media outlets are losing money. The Washington Post lost approximately $100 million in 2024, and it is hardly alone in bleeding cash.
Given all these pressures, I’m surprised that students still want to be journalists, but glad they do, and that includes Gabe Hawkins. He appears to be undecided over whether to pursue objective reporting or become an activist. I hope he chooses the former. But if we blur the lines between journalism and activism to the point that there is no meaningful distinction between the two, we risk undermining journalism’s core function of delivering unbiased facts to the public.
I’m pleased that Medill retains the standards and values that it taught students when I was there. They have served my alma mater well for more than 100 years, and hopefully, will continue to do so in the future.
Richard Reif is a Medill alum who graduated in 1964. He can be contacted at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.
