The following media release was published Wednesday by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ):
Washington, D.C. — Today, Hugo Balta, president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) implores journalists to be adamant in fact checking all reports. With tensions building around midterm elections, disinformation is quickly spread through media and social platforms. Newsrooms are trusted sources for distributing accurate news; therefore, it is the responsibility of the Fourth Estate to adhere to the standards of quality and truthful coverage.
The call to action follows weeks of alarmist language surrounding the migrant caravan and President Donald Trump’s most recent and blatant lie, claiming the United States is the only country to recognize children of immigrants being born as U.S. citizens.
This responsible reporting requires all quoted claims to be challenged and fully researched before releasing reports. To ensure that the truth is understood by the public, reports should integrate fact checks within the story itself so the claim cannot be separated from the research to support or contradict it. Additionally, the journalistic standards of storytelling demand that the language used be thoughtful and informative.
“Words matter and we must continue to choose ours carefully to fortify an environment of understanding that is being overshadowed by rage and misinformation.” commented NAHJ President, Hugo Balta. “Please remain committed to the standards of reliable journalism by challenging all claims made by your sources.”
Excellence in journalism is not just reporting, but understanding and revealing truth to the public. NAHJ is committed to monitoring media to ensure accurate representation and responsible reporting, specifically on the Latino community. The association remains vigilant and is available for discussion about journalistic standards and responsibilities.
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About NAHJ The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) is the largest organization of Latino journalists in the United States and dedicated to the recognition and professional advancement of Hispanics in the news industry. The mission of NAHJ is to increase the number of Latinos in the newsrooms and to work toward fair and accurate representation of Latinos in news media. Established in April 1984, NAHJ created a national voice and unified vision for all Hispanic journalists. NAHJ has approximately 2,300 members, including working journalists, journalism students, other media-related professionals and journalism educators. For more information please visit NAHJ.org or follow on Twitter @NAHJ.
