Now-a-days, the editors are bombarded with a tremendous flow of news. The newspapers can hardly publish a very small part of the total news which they receive.
In fact, some of the big news agencies are in a position to supply more copies than an average daily newspaper is able to print in its edition.
A newspaper also gets copies from its own local reporters, correspondents and other sources. Then the newspaper has also to give the local news to satisfy its city readership.
recreationalpotshops.com
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Besides all this, there are foreign news services like Associated Press, Reuters etc. which supply the foreign news. Still there are some photographers and picture services who supply photographs and pictures for the newspapers.
In this way, we see that selecting the important news of the day is a very taxing job for the news editor.
Every newspaper has to spend a lot in getting news from the news agencies as well as from its reporters and correspondents. No newspapers can perform its functions properly without getting news from the big news agencies.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Not only the selection of the news is important but giving the proper emphasis to news is equally important. The problem of judging news is also complicated by much other consideration like fair play, proper emphasis, the space problem and equal treatment.
Another important factor in the selection of news is its total accuracy. The stating of simple facts does not mean total accuracy, because usually the news stories are seldom based upon all the true facts.
Sometimes, even over-emphasis on some particular event can blow it out of all proportions. The facts should be stated in a highly balanced manner, so that the truth is not twisted by a little slant this way or that way.
Of course, the editors who have access to the news reports from various sources are able to separate the grain from the chaff. An experienced editor can make final checks against such a twisting of the truth.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Supposing an editor gets two contradictory reports from two separate news services, he must try to learn the truth and publish a balanced report. In fact, he must try to learn the context of the original event to measure the facts of a copy.
An editor must trust a good reporter and should not make big changes in his copy on the basis of his own prejudices without any valid reasons.
Sometimes, a very good reporter can also be swayed by his prejudices and he may give only one side of the report. Whenever there are conflicting reports concerning one event, one sided news given by only one source should not be played up.
On the other hand, an objective story on the basis of all the conflicting news should be prepared and published accordingly, because if some unbalanced news is published, then the press will lose its credibility among customers by giving only one sided news. It also amounts to misinforming the public by printing partially true stories.
A responsible editor will also consider greatly the factor of timing, because how long the readers might have to live with a news story about which there are certain doubts. Sometimes, an erroneous news story published in the afternoon paper can create a lot of bad effect on die minds of the people till a correction can reach them the next morning.
Even withholding the important facts can damage the public trust in the press, which may lead to the weakening of the mass media’s ability to keep wild rumour-mongers at bay.