William Singleton, assistant professor of communication and media at Samford, received the Newspaper Research Journal's Best Article Award for his work, “Must I follow the script? Professional objectivity, journalistic roles and the Black community journalist.” The article, published in Spring 2024, explores how Black journalists approach objectivity and journalistic roles, particularly when covering sensitive topics such as protests following George Floyd’s death.
Singleton’s research examined how three types of publications—a legacy newspaper, a Black-owned newspaper and a digital-only outlet—covered protests related to Floyd’s death. He found that while legacy journalists maintained traditional objectivity, Black journalists at other outlets expressed frustration and empathy, often contextualizing social issues for readers.
“Understanding how stories are put together, what sources are included and what information gets left out, I think it’s naïve to believe that objectivity can be taught as an absolute concept or practiced with purity,” Singleton said.
While Singleton still emphasizes objectivity in the classroom, he teaches it with a balanced approach.
“You’ll never reach it because humans have conscious and unconscious biases,” Singleton said. “However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Having a standard is necessary for structure and continuity.”
The recognition of his article underscores its relevance in ongoing discussions about journalism in the Black community. Singleton highlighted how the Black press has historically embraced advocacy reporting.
“The Black press has never felt beholden to roles that require it to only disseminate the news sans perspective or opinion,” Singleton said.
Additionally, he noted that the future of Black journalism may see shifts as more journalists leave legacy newspapers for Black-owned or digital publications.
“What will be interesting to see is whether Black journalists who leave legacy newspapers and join the Black press or start their own digital sites hold firm to traditional definitions of objective reporting or pursue roles that embrace more advocacy reporting,” Singleton said.
Looking ahead, Singleton is continuing to build on the themes explored in his award-winning research.
“I’m working with colleagues at another university on a study comparing the roles of African-American journalists with journalists of color in another part of the world,” Singleton said.
Founded in 1979, the Newspaper Research Journal examines all aspects of U.S. and foreign news agencies, including content, staffs, management, technology, design and community relationships.
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