As an outgoing College of Journalism and Communications student and Unite Party student senator, I am accustomed to the clash of campus politics and the biannual debate over its campus media portrayal. However, the Alligator’s recent lack of journalistic integrity has morphed the publication’s role as an information medium into that of a politically charged message.
On Tuesday, students were disrespected with a news-less story depicting Progress Party presidential candidate Dave Schneider volunteering. Upstanding students volunteer their time daily and never receive media attention, much less on the front page, above the fold. The Alligator followed Wednesday with the most inaccurate account of a senate decision this campus has seen.
Hannah Winston’s story portrayed a senate debate with a pro-gun campus Unite Party versus an anti-gun campus opposition led by Schneider. What the story failed to mention was that Unite Party senators, including presidential candidate Ben Meyers, authored the bill denouncing campus gun tolerance in the first place.
Due to the convenient misrepresentation of facts, students were once again victim to the Alligator’s quest to please one audience with Progress Party political support.
Looking to the upcoming weeks of election season, I urge the Alligator to remember the foundations of ethical journalism. Your job is to portray reality, not shape it. I charge the Alligator not to fall victim to the target-audience-driven media phenomena seen nationally today. Instead, set the standard, report ethically and have faith in your audience to decide.
