A Letter to the Editor: The Comment journalists take the time to get the facts straight

In a world where so many “professional” journalists tweet first and ask questions later, it was refreshing to see the student journalists of the Comment invest the time and effort to get all side of story that other local media outlets needlessly sensationalized. (“Support floods in for the University, Janson after recent news break,” The Comment, Oct. 23, 2014).

Good journalism is hard and it takes time and effort to ferret out all sides of complex issues, but in the end, good journalism gives readers all of the available facts so they can make informed decisions based on those facts. Thankfully, the Comment did that hard work when the Brockton Enterprise and other outlets that picked up the story took the easy route out, letting a half-reported story fuel a needless “controversy” on campus.

We all have the right to form our own opinions on this and other stories that affect life on campus. Thankfully, in this instance, those opinions are much better informed than they would have been if the Comment had opted to publish the sexier story instead of the accurate story.

 

Professor David Copeland

Communication Studies Department

If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please email us at thecommentonline@gmail.com. You must include your name, phone number, and affiliation with BSU. Please see our Editorial Policy at the bottom of page 7 for further information.

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