People rely on print, television, and online news to obtain accurate and reliable information. This means the journalists who report the news to us must have certain qualities that help them deliver the facts as unbiased as possible. Here are a few of the values every journalist must possess.

Veracity

In some situations, something may seem to be the truth only to be disproven later. The journalist’s job is to report accurate and verifiable facts to the best of their knowledge. If they later uncover information that contradicts a previous report, they can and should update the public’s information.

Impartiality

It’s also important to provide information without reporting in a way that favors a particular side in an issue. People will have more confidence in your reports when you present a fair and accurate point of view. While some of your opinions may be apparent in your work, you should do what you can to seem as open-minded and unbiased as possible.

Compassion

While you want to report the news with a certain degree of professionalism, you can also be compassionate. This is especially important when dealing with sensitive topics. The words you choose will affect your followers, so try to use words that don’t sensationalize stories that are already highly emotional.

Personal Responsibility

A good journalist will also be accountable for the facts they report and possess a willingness to issue corrections. You won’t lose followers if you make a genuine mistake. However, if you don’t publicly correct your mistakes and issue apologies for your errors, people will be far less forgiving. When you do issue an apology, be sure that your wording and tone sounds sincere. Contrite or facetious apologies will affect your followers worse than no apology at all.

While possessing these qualities is just the start of becoming a good journalist, your ability to demonstrate good ethics will help you go far in a journalism career. It may take a conscious effort to develop these qualities in your professional life, but it will be well worth the time spent. You’ll find that people are more willing to talk to you, and potential employers are more eager to provide you with new opportunities.