A week since NBC’s anchor Brian Williams made an on-air apology for falsely claiming that the helicopter he was flying in was attacked by an enemy in a case of what he called, a “misremember”, his reputation has plummeted from its previous. respected journalist to become the subject of widespread ridicule on social media. At first glance, it may appear to some that Williams has fallen victim to unfair criticism from the general public who love to see media personalities fall from grace. No doubt, that’s part of it, but from a journalistic perspective, there’s something much more unsettling.
The heart of journalism is the story itself. A journalist, in turn, needs to be a good storyteller irrespective of whether the story is being told on television, radio, the Internet, or in print. Good journalists develop the skill of telling stories in a way that captures the interest of the recipient. Basically, a news anchor or field reporter best serves the public if she or he manages to get them to truly care about the story. If they care, they listen. If they listen, they’re told. Getting them to care is a bigger challenge than it seems. To achieve this goal, journalists often face the temptation to embellish a story a bit to create drama, empathy, or credibility. When they succumb to this temptation, they sacrifice the most vital element of the stories they tell: the reality.
It occurs at all levels of crafting. Early in their careers, most journalists find themselves working for small media outlets writing obituaries or community board meetings in coffee shops or public spaces. These stories are far from thrilling, but as public record, they’re still newsworthy. Journalists start developing their storytelling skills early on to make these basic stories interesting. This is why, in obituaries, the deceased is commonly called, “loving father, or “beloved husband”. Remove these elements, and he’s nothing more than a dead man. Add elements to the obituary, and the author risks straying from the reality and compromising his journalistic integrity.
While the temptation is at all times there, the impact is bigger the bigger or more important the story. A news anchor with a national audience gains the position of having developed his journalistic skills in such a way that not only is the story well told, but the honesty of the story is maintained. The public rightfully expects national news anchors for major networks to be trusted. Despite his apology, Brian Williams undermined that element of trust even although he finally admitted his guilt.
To his credit, in addition to his apology, Brian Williams has removed himself from the anchor table for a brief pause acknowledging the damage “misremembering” has done to both his and NBC’s reputation. Will a few days without the spotlight make things better? Almost not. The gravity of his journalistic blunders can’t be discounted as can the disappointment felt by his fellow journalists who continuously resist the temptation that the highly respected network broadcaster succumbs to. Will he survive this episode in his career? Perhaps, but only if it inspires him to approach his craft with a greater degree of integrity than he has in the past.
