Taking bias seriously

"In her first few days as editor-in-chief of CBS News, Bari Weiss asked this very question of 60 Minutes senior staff members. The question "was met," according to reporting from The New York Times, "with stunned awkwardness." Yet what is truly stunning is that this question isn't being asked by every newsroom every day. My prediction is that 2026 will be the year that newsrooms take the question seriously."

"Kelly describes: "What typically happens in journalism is they say they have no bias, and then they just work it out in the printed word or on their shows without owning it, but the audience knows is and it creates a distrust and a divide." Her alternate form of journalism, she explains, makes clear where she stands and allows people to "filter everything I say through the appropriate lens.""

Bari Weiss asked 60 Minutes senior staff why the country thinks they are biased, provoking stunned awkwardness. The prediction is that 2026 will be the year newsrooms take that question seriously. Newsfluencers with large digital followings are forcing traditional newsrooms to compete for audience trust. Megyn Kelly argues that acknowledging bias openly builds trust because audiences can filter reporting through a stated perspective. Biases are inherent and acknowledging them could help audiences account for them. However, cognitive biases make people more accepting of aligned viewpoints. Newsrooms will instead recommit to rising above bias. New approaches and practices will be required to achieve that aim.

Read at Nieman Lab