Believability Quotient

   Young reporter: "Did you ever have the feeling when working on a story that someone is lying to you?"
   Editor: "Of course. It happens all the time. And maybe both sides are. It's our job to find the truth."

   Politician: "That's not what I said! What I really meant was ... "

   TV Editor: "Roll the video tape."

   If you don't want to see it in print, don't say it.
　
   People want to believe their government. Voters want to believe their elected officials, that the politicians speak true and they act in good faith, for the good of all and not just a chosen few.
   And despite all the evidence to the contrary, that many officials are corrupt, that they act largely for themselves and their cronies, people still would like to believe in them.
   They would like to believe that.

   This is what makes the duty of news media so difficult. There is a tendency to first report what politicians say, and then do the fact-checking that shows the oratory to be dissembling, disingenuous, contrary to factual information, using these and some of the many other synonyms available, rather than come flat out and use the plain phrase, "It's a lie."
   "Liar" is such a strong word that many folks, especially those in the reporting business who are committed to neutrality, avoid it. They follow the basic dictum of reporting just what the politician or candidate says, leaving the accusatory part of calling him or her a liar to the opposition.
   But that takes some of the edge off it, since readers, listeners and the subject of the accusation can respond, "Well, of course the folks in the other party will say that, since they're opposed to us no matter what we say or do."
   So that leaves the newspaper readers and TV viewers on their own, not knowing whom to believe. And since there is a widespread tendency to believe the elected leader, that's what readers and viewers do. No matter how outlandish the claim.

   There comes a time when merely reporting the sweeping assertions of elected officials is not enough. News media have an obligation to report not only what each side says, but also to supply analysis by independent observers.