There are a lot of people who think our job is to reassure the public every night that their home, their community and their nation is safe. I don't subscribe to that at all. I subscribe to leaving people with essentially - sorry it's a cliche - a rough draft of history. Some days it's reassuring, some days it's absolutely destructive.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Journalists should not just comfort the public but present an honest, unfinished account of events, even if it is sometimes unsettling.
- In plain terms
- Report the truth as it happens, even if it is not always comforting.
- What can you take from it?
- Prioritize honest reporting over public reassurance.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What is the role of a journalist in a crisis?
- Should news comfort or inform?
Another view
Sometimes the public needs reassurance during crises, not just raw facts.
More from Peter Jennings
Good evening. We begin tonight...
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