Simple skill: Checking facts

Eric Benderoff of the Chicago Tribune believes that citizen journalists posting items about business should check their facts before posting and not be allowed to post unsubstantiated stories like Apple CEO Steve Jobs having a heart attack.

Benderoff writes, “I’m not a journalist who believes I have an especially difficult job. But I take my responsibility seriously, and I use common sense, discipline, judgment and some skill to do my job. But there’s one skill more important than the rest: check the facts.

“What might happen when news organizations stop doing their homework? You lose even more credibility at a time when folks already are struggling to trust the media.

“As someone well vested in this career, it frightens me to think of a future where simple fact checking is so easily forgotten.

“Furthermore, CNN needs to rethink it’s citizen journalism approach. It apparently doesn’t want to take any responsibility when something goes awry.”

Read more here.Â