Serve the public debate
Journalism does more than transmit decisions made by powerful people. It equips the public to understand, discuss and judge those decisions. The work begins with verified facts and clear attribution, so that disagreement can rest on a shared understanding of what happened.
The essentials
Think of journalism as a facilitator of public discussion. Citizens, unions, businesses and governments make decisions every day. They need reliable facts to assess their choices. Your task is to provide that material, not to pass along rumours or present someone’s opinion as information that has already been established.
Make attribution visible. Readers should know who says what, which facts you observed and which information comes from documents or other sources. Keep fact and comment distinct. People who disagree about the right solution should still be able to understand the evidence on which the discussion is based.
Keep your attention on those affected by decisions as well as those who make them. The tradition associated with Albert Londres directs the journalist towards public service and scrutiny. Ask whose experience is missing, what the audience needs to judge a policy and which claims remain unverified. A debate supplied with falsehoods becomes harder to resolve, not more informed.
Take it to the field
Ask which decision your reader will understand better because of this story. Then check that the facts needed for that understanding appear in the text, with their sources and the limits of what is known.
Your turn
Choose a recent local public decision: a budget, construction project or appointment. List the facts people need to judge it. Compare your list with local coverage and identify the missing reporting.