[zugi]

> However, I have sadly come to feel that many journalists who write about science, and perhaps even some scientists, see their role as activism toward a specific outcome rather than discovering and describing reality as it exists.

That's not a feeling, for journalism anyway it's an explicit fact. The Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) - the primary agency that reviews and accredits journalism programs across the United States and whose mandates directly shape the curricula of over 100 universities - has changed their standards over the years away from emphasis on truth and towards emphasis on advocating change to institute certain policies. See https://www.acejmc.org/about/strategic-plan . They still mention truth, but almost tangentially among long lists of outcomes that journalists must pursue. The current generation of journalists were trained by these principles.

The Associated Press (AP) StyleBook https://www.apstylebook.com/ similarly polices the language that journalists use to favor certain policy outcomes, with some news organizations requiring compliance as a condition of employment.

[boston_clone]

please review your first link and read their mission statement; there are three items, and one of those is truth.

“Relentlessly strive to assure information integrity, assuring that truth is gathered and reported.”

https://www.acejmc.org/about/strategic-plan

[appreciatorBus]

It’s literally the last clause of the last item, basically an afterthought.

> 1. Reimagine teaching and learning of journalism/communication to serve the public.

> 2. Forge diverse and inclusive programs where differences are celebrated, equity is pursued, and diverse communities are served through improved communication and journalism instruction.

> 3. Relentlessly strive to assure information integrity, assuring that truth is gathered and reported.

[boston_clone]

an explicit mention in their vision* statement is hardly an afterthought. it’s also the second item in their multi-point action plan. and other mentions elsewhere.