Thread by @rasmus_kleis

Here are three values I think most journalists would like to base their work on

1) Seek truth and report it
2) Work with moral clarity
3) Serve the whole public

I wonder whether journalism faces inescapable trilemma that may require tradeoffs between different aspirations?

1/9

Recognizing there are irreducibly plural values does not entail relativism, simply recognizing sometimes we have to make choices btw things that are valuable in different and sometimes incommensurable ways and can't always have everything. (Recognize this from your own life?) 2/9

It's attractive-even seductive-to imagine that different good things we might want can all be accomplished at the same time. But can they?

Looking at the US right now, find it hard to imagine how journalism can cover Trump with moral clarity while also reaching whole public.
3/9

Let me give just three examples. First, below how NYT editorial board described the Republican Party Oct 24. If that is so, surely moral clarity would require the newsroom to recognize this, even at the risk of alienating half the American electorate? nytimes.com/2020/10/24/opi… 4/9

Second, here a Tom Nichols piece describing the ~70m Americans who voted for Trump in 2020. If that is so, moral clarity would require recognizing this in news coverage, even though that will further alienate white right-wing Americans from news media? theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/… 5/9

Third @WesleyLowery, who powerfully called for moral clarity this summer, arguing journalists need to call racist politicians what they are. Strong case, could help serve many structurally disadvantaged audiences better. But also turn off other people? nytimes.com/2020/06/23/opi… 6/9

To be clear, I personally agree the Republican Party has much to answer for, that racism (+sexism) is central to US society, and that many politicians actively traffic in racist stereotypes. And I think case for focusing on commitment to truth and moral clarity is very strong 7/9

Only I think that would inescapably further alienate many right-wing Americans from the news. Because we often don't agree what "moral" means

It's for each journalist to reflect on what they think right tradeoffs are. (Personally convinced moral clarity was long losing out) 8/9

Maybe we can have 2 out of 3? Let's say truth first, will reaching e.g. Trump voters require moral detachment? Will my version of moral clarity alienate many?

Media make different choices. Some project version of moral clarity (Guardian, Mail), others serving everybody (BBC) 9/9

Now a, slightly expanded, blog post. Thanks for the emails and DMs! Seems like this resonates rasmuskleisnielsen.net/2020/11/05/the…