One interesting and promising innovation we have noticed in news coverage here in Ecuador is that when reporters appear on-screen during the local and national news broadcasts, underneath their image appears both their name and email address. While we have not availed ourselves of this invitation to interact as of yet, it seems like a great idea, both from the point of view of accountability, and so that viewers can send in corrections, acclarations, related news leads or just plain old quality commentary (“shoddy reporting” “were you even there?” “go back to the cartoon channel!”).
We would take this one step further, and suggest that all reporters make accessible three vital areas of information which would allow an impressionable public to get a handle on where they are coming from and to fit their reportage into some kind of balanced matrix or model of what is really going on:
1) A list of and links to their recent reporting, arranged either chronologically or thematically, according to viewer preference.
2) A simple declaration of who signs their paychecks, including an employment history going back at least a few years.
3) An email address or other contact information for corrections and comments
These people are responsible for the information and opinions we use to formulate and evaluate our interactions with the real world. They must be held acountable in some way, shape or form!
In the case of on-line reporting, web editions of major newspapers or media organizations,this would be easy – a hyperlink connecting their names to the aforementioned information. In print publications or broadcasts it would be a bit more involved but still simple – a URL on-screen or in print leading to the same data.
I agree with you on items 1 and 3.
For item #2, I think they should indicate who they currently work for, but not previous employers as a matter of protecting their privacy.
Don