The Baker Orange cares about the profession of journalism.
We, as editors, staff members and photographers, believe in the purpose of journalism. Journalism is not a process of simply reporting the news but one of seeing the news, investigating it, reporting it and responding to community need and interest with regard to it in a way which leads to the betterment of our community.
The foremost purpose of journalism is to provide the public with the information it needs to be active in society. It is also the responsibility of journalists to provide that information as accurately and fairly as possible.
The Baker Orange, specifically, wishes to meet the highest possible journalistic standards. Its mission is to produce a newspaper with the intention of keeping the university community informed while providing an educational experience to future journalists.
We seek to maintain the highest ethical standards through honest, fair, considerate and independent reporting of what’s happening in our community.
This practical experience provides students of journalism with the opportunity to learn from mistakes and make advances in becoming better and better at what we do.
Those things being said, several complaints have been voiced to staff members that would seem to indicate a misunderstanding lies between the Orange and some community members. In particular, some students have refused to speak with the Orange because they feel, for various reasons, that the Orange does not accurately or fairly report what’s going on in the Baker community.
Regardless of the reasoning behind the distrust or dislike of how the Baker Orange is produced, the proper response is not to refuse participation.
The Orange is here for students as an educational tool, but also to serve as an upstanding public journal with the highest respect for its public’s interest.
In other words, without you, the community, we have no purpose.
Therefore, voice your complaints. In fact, write a letter to the editor. It’s the best way to really make a difference in your community, and as servants to the community, we’re with you all the way.