Journalists who swallow the subject's account whole and publish it are not journalists but publicists.
Janet MalcolmRead
The journalistic 'I' is an overreliable narrator, a functionary to whom crucial tasks of narration and argument and tone have been entrusted, an ad hoc creation, like the chorus of Greek tragedy. He is an emblematic figure, an embodiment of the idea of the dispassionate observer of life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The journalistic 'I' serves as a detached observer, embodying neutrality in storytelling.
Janet Malcolm's quote highlights the role of the journalist as a constructed narrator, who plays a crucial part in narrating and framing stories without personal bias. This 'I' represents not just an individual but an ideal of dispassionate observation, much like a chorus in Greek tragedy, suggesting that storytelling in journalism is both a craft and a performance where objectivity is paramount.
Themes
JournalismObserverNarrativeNeutralityDispassionate
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on media ethics, one might use this quote to discuss the responsibilities of journalists.
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