Journalism isn’t the mere act of turning on the microphones and letting politicians talk.

Journalism isn’t inviting proven liars to come on your TV show and lie to your audience, and then thanking them for it.…


Journalism isn’t done for the benefit of journalists.

Journalism isn’t listening to a lie by a lifelong liar and pretending to your audience that he might be telling the truth this one time.…


Journalism isn’t pretending dangerous people are not dangerous people because you don’t want those dangerous people coming after you.…


Journalism isn’t presenting political criminals as amusing characters.

Journalism isn’t nodding your head during an interview as if you think the newsmaker is saying something reasonable, even though you know it’s batshit crazy.

Journalism isn’t the process of inventing clever euphemisms, such as praising a flip-flopping politician’s “ability to massage her message to the moment.”