Dear Reader | Credibility is a journalist’s most important attribute, just ask Brian Williams

If you noticed what seemed to be a rumble somewhere backstage in the theater we call life, it was the sound of journalists doubting, defending, ridiculing, mourning and bemoaning the sad state of their industry.

The doubting, defending and ridiculing came mostly from those shocked, appalled and even gleeful that golden broadcast boy Brian Williams suffered a potentially career-ending comeupance with news that he had exaggerated (if they were feeling generous) or lied (if they were less so) about his experience in a helicopter while covering the Iraq war. ICYMI, he said his chopper was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. Oops, he admitted, the grenade struck a chopper ahead of him.

Now Williams, and his credibility, are the punch lines for comics everywhere.

But Williams’ behavior damaged more than his personal credibility. Any time a journalist embellishes a story by quoting sources who don’t exist (i.e. Stephen Glass); or fudges their own personal narrative to make their role sound more dramatic (i.e. Williams), it hurts the credibility of all of us who make livings seeking to report news that matters to those who read, or watch, our work.

Williams’ fall from grace was followed by mourning for David Carr, media critic for The New York Times, whose work held journalists accountable for their reporting. He died at age 58 last week, in the newsroom of the Times.

His work as a reporter, critic and author was rightfully lauded in the coverage of his death, but it is a comment he made at a commencement address at the University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism that resonates most with me.

Speaking of the need for decency in the future generation of journalists, he said:

“Being a journalist, I never feel bad talking to journalism students because it’s a grand, grand caper. You get to leave, go talk to strangers, ask them anything, come back, type up their stories, edit the tape. That’s not gonna retire your loans as quickly as it should, and it’s not going to turn you into a person who’s worried about what kind of car they should buy, but that’s kind of as it should be. I mean, it beats working.”

Although we deliver our reporting in ways Carr and many of us likely would never have imagined even a decade ago, that summary best explains why journalism is still important, still exciting and still critical to civic life.

Brian Williams and his tarnished image aside, we will continue to hold fast to our credibility, admit it if we make an error and enjoy the chase involved in bringing you the news you need about the fascinating region known as the coastal Carolinas.

Where’s Bob?

Many readers have written recently asking about Bob Bestler’s column, or more precisely, the lack thereof.

Bob has been under the weather and hospitalized at St. Francis Roper in Charleston. At last check, he was on the mend so we hope to have his words back on our pages as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, I’m forwarding the emails I’ve gotten to his email so that he can see how much he is missed. And I’m pretty sure it’s not just his “seven Democrats of Horry County” who are checking in on him.

This story was originally published February 16, 2015 at 9:33 PM with the headline "Dear Reader | Credibility is a journalist’s most important attribute, just ask Brian Williams ."