Those of us who practice objective journalism, for the most part, strongly value and encourage diligent reporting. Without objectivity, major media outlets would hold no credibility and scandal-mongering stories would be the norm.

As student journalists at U of L, we strive to provide you with the best grasp of each situation we report and attempt to include multiple viewpoints throughout the process. This is what we believe to be good journalism. However, the possible reactions to our reporting do not stop us from telling the sometimes ugly truth. We don’t put out content to be your best friend. We publish content to be your voice of reason.

Whether it was the “Sombrerogate” situation surrounding President James Ramsey’s ill-advised Halloween costume, the line of 75 students waiting to get help at the counseling center or the backlash we received from articles like “Greeks establish informal tailgating dress code” and “Priorities: Louisville Athletics reign supreme,” our job is to provide well-written and researched content, not to worry about whether or not we’re pushing your buttons.

Having a voice on your campus is synonymous with student journalism. We also believe that everyone’s voice should be heard, regardless of how much it may differ from yours. Although we do publish objective articles on a consistent basis in our news section, we always encourage those who wish to stray away from the path of objective journalism stroll on over to our opinion section. It’s important to be heard regardless of the backlash you may receive, because at the end of the day, it’s your opinion.

At times we also understand it may be difficult for some of our less attentive audience members to understand the difference between an objectively written article and a heavily-opinionated editorial.

We’ve lost some friends on campus through our writing.  Some of the students we’re attempting to defend are the ones who question our stance. But hey, who ever said journalism was about popularity?

 

Cartoon by Maddie Weiner / The Louisville Cardinal