For years now there has been a lot of conversation about bias journalism. To be fair, everyone has biases that they are often blind to. It’s true even journalists can unknowingly have their bias slip in, and some news outlets may even cater to certain political leanings. But that is not TPI’s aim.
We are a local community newspaper. Our job is to give you the facts about what is happening in the community. We report on red topics. We report on blue topics. We use sources from the right, and we use sources from the left.
Granted, my columns are definitely left leaning. But my articles are not. Columns are pieces that are solely a reporter's opinion and express their point of view. Articles are factual information and are driven by sources as well as relevant documentation. I report on what the sources say and what the facts are, just like all of my fellow reporters at this news outlet. I have reported on many topics and many viewpoints I don’t agree with, but I do not insert myself into those articles. Because it’s not about me.
Throughout journalism school, reporters are trained on catching their biases and to prevent it from going into an article. We are humans. We are not perfect. I’m sure there are times in the past and times in the future where we forget to check ourselves. But those times are the exception and not the rule.
When we publish something readers don’t agree with, the point isn’t to cater to a certain side. It’s to inform readers what is happening in their community. If you want a certain event or topic covered, please reach out to provide a news tip. Keep in mind, there are some news tips we won’t be able to fulfill, or some that may take a while. This isn’t because it’s not important, but journalists do have guidelines that must be followed to ensure the news is as accurate as possible. This will often be the case when reporting on possible criminal activity.
And as always, if you disagree with what a column or an article is promoting, please write a letter to the editor. We strive to keep our opinion page a collection of community and diverse voices. But we need the people of the community to make that happen.
Abigail Murphy is the Dadeville beat reporter for Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. She can be reached at abigail.murphy@alexcityoutlook.com.