The most important facet of any news organization

It's amazing how many stations use the word "trust" in their news department slogans, yet present news that is so obviously slanted there's really no credibility at all.

And once you've lost credibility with viewers, you've lost everything.

When I was a kid, Walter Cronkite was "the most trusted man in America." He was often asked to run for President. Most people believed what they heard and saw on television back in those days, at least until the Vietnam War made people distrustful of just about everything. As the years have gone by, the level of trust for reporters has continued to decline. Several years ago some organization did a poll and found out that reporters were trusted as much as car salesmen.

Ouch.

An old newsman once told me, "If the viewers have no idea who you're voting for, you're doing a good job." Truer words were never spoken.

On the other side of the coin, there was a young reporter at a station in which I worked several years ago, who stated, "How can anyone work in this business and NOT be a Democrat?" That reporter got a roll of the eyes from many in the newsroom, because despite the "liberal news media" tag we all endure, there are plenty of ultra conservative news people out there.

These days it is more than just providing equal time. Lately I've been paying attention to the body language of various reporters, and the way they deliver their copy. A quick smile here, an animated delivery there, and all of a sudden you know exactly what lever that reporter will pull on election day. Sometimes the way you ask your question can label you as biased. When a reporter prefaces a question with, "With all due respect" then you can be reasonably sure that reporter is voting for the other candidate.

As news people you must not only strive to deliver fair and unbiased coverage, but if you're on camera you must have a poker face as well. You may love the candidate you're covering, or simply despise him, but you can't let the viewers have even a hint of what you're thinking.

Last week we touched on how politicians can "get in your pocket." Once you let that happen, you've lost credibility. Without it, you can't expect the viewers to trust you.