ANTON HARBER: Editors face difficult calls in the rush to publish
The ‘De Ruyter allegations’ highlight the need for journalists to slow down and check the details
Few stories have so clearly illustrated the difficult role of editors under current pressures as the handling of the “De Ruyter allegations”.
The current war cry of editors, or at least those with some sense of ethical purpose, is “Verification, verification, verification — we do not publish until we are sure.” With so much unfiltered disinformation floating around, journalists and news outlets have to show their value and build credibility by ensuring their work is reliable. At the same time, the speed of news is accelerating and journalists have to react when serious claims are running rampant on social media. ..
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