In America, newspapers have always been an essential aspect of our society. During the age of typewriters and early computers, the objective of news corporations was clear: report the news accurately and fairly. As society moved into an era of laptops, headlines became more about a chance to grab attention rather than chronicle the truth. The most important aspect of any newspaper —and the key value we as editors-in-chief are committed to instilling — is integrity.
Being a journalist comes with serious responsibilities. Whether in a high school classroom or a professional newsroom, the same standards of moral uprightness must be met. We strive to create a culture that does not take shortcuts, such as quoting one’s friends instead of seeking diverse perspectives or recycling ideas. While The Chronicle is not examined by professional fact checkers like national publications are, it is essential that the paper holds itself to a high standard. Our goal is to instill in every staff member that practicing honorable behavior, even when no one is watching, is a fundamental quality of any good reporter. Teaching journalists the importance of reporting honestly in high school will help create a generation of people that value truth and hard work in the media over clickbait content.
The news outlets that high school papers look up to are not meeting the standards we hope to set for this publication. Articles often fit a single political narrative, report information that is inadequately researched or simply provide false stories. If we are ever to live a country that is less polarized, the first step is to produce media that is objective, with a primary goal of sharing information rather than forcing a belief on the public. By requiring that student journalists interview with school administrators before writing opinions about policy and by promoting pro-con articles which evaluate topics from two angles, The Chronicle will be the type of publication that student journalists from other schools can look to for inspiration.
Integrity is not just about honesty. Its second definition describes it as a state of being whole and undivided. It is our top priority to create a staff environment that works as a community. Often, there is a mentality to work hard with the goal of receiving a top position or getting credit. What matters most to any organization, though, are the people who show up and work hard simply because they care about what they do. The people who volunteer even when they don’t have to, knowing that going the extra mile is what creates something great. The people who prioritize being a good person above all else. This newspaper is made up of some of the most talented individuals in the country, and it is essential for its success that the staff shows up every day with the goals of reinforcing the integrity of The Chronicle community and making our nationally ranked paper even better than it already is.
The Chronicle is a newspaper, but it is also a learning environment. It is easy to turn in work simply to meet a word count or to attend layout sessions without volunteering for any assignments. It is difficult to fully commit to a publication and make sacrifices in order to create the best work one is capable of producing. No one is expected to write perfect articles or have the strongest layout for every issue, but it is vital that the paper be a space where people work together and better themselves as journalists and individuals in our world.
