Impartiality smoothie
The more I read about impartiality, the more I realise that it’s much easier to recognise when it’s missing than when it’s present! In preparation for our presentation, I was trying to come up with a definition for impartiality and found it rather difficult. Impartiality is a cocktail of many things: accuracy, balance, fairness and open-mindedness to name a few. What it boils down to is presenting a wide spectrum of views, giving the audience the opportunity to weigh everything up and make up their own minds. That is essentially what is missing in Italy – a breadth of views. Only one official view is allowed to be broadcast. It is the absence of other views that makes Italian media so blatantly partial.
If you’re interested in learning more about ways Prime Minister Berlusconi has been stamping out other views in Italy, click here.
On the Fence 
I also struggle with the concept of impartiality. It is of course vital that news outlets are impartial, but what about situations that are clearly wrong. For example the UN Security Council has passed at least 25 resolutions in regards to the Palestine occupation. Many of them clearly indicate that a separate state should exist. If you write an impartial article covering the Palestine/Israel crisis isn’t there a risk that impartiality will distract from the truth?
Sofia Mostafa
As I understand it, being impartial is not favouring one view more than another and ensuring both sides of an argument are heard.
This means that the audience can judge for themselves the truth as they see it to any given situation.
In relation to the Palestine/Israel crisis; consider reporting a case concerning a paedophile. The report still has to be impartial.
Stick to facts and it is the audience that determine what is right or wrong.
I agree, Shan, but this only works when the audience has the opportunity of hearing a breadth of views. I have written quite a bit about the lack if impartiality in Italy because of the one-sided nature of reporting on the channels owned by Prime Minister Berlusconi. The audience isn’t given all the necessary information to decide what is right or wrong.
Shan – I think that’s how we aimed to intepret impartiality for our group presentation. When considering it, I think to how I’ve been drilled by Denis to write a court report, it has to be fair, balanced, accurate and contemporaneous. Even if it’s clear that the defendant has committed the most sickening crime – I have to leave my revulsion at the door and present the audience with facts from both sides of the case, adhering to my responsibility as a reporter.
Has there ever been a period where the press have been heavily critisised for being impartial?
I agree it is really important- but sometimes I feel it isn’t the right thing to do!