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Journalists are typically thought of as being credible men and women who disseminate factual information to curious news consumers. They are the first on the scenes covering major events and then informing the public of what they have heard and observed. When Walter Cronkite anchored the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981, he was known as, "the most trusted man in America" (Galant, 2012).
Sometimes reporters decide to push the envelope a bit and let the world know of events that actually did not happen without informing the public of their fabrications. It is here where newspaper and magazine readers and broadcast viewers and listeners tend to regard these journalists as less credible and trustworthy. Quoting former Washington Post media writer and current Fox News Channel host Howard Kurtz, Lisheron (2007), "Lying, deceiving and fabricating are hardly legitimate journalistic methods...No matter how good the story, lying to get it raises as many questions about journalists as their subjects" (p. 30).
This article will take a look at lying and how untruths led to troublesome times for American journalists Janet Cooke, Stephen Glass, Jayson Blair, and Brian Williams.
Lying (Background)
Lying is the act of intentionally not telling the truth. It is nothing new. It has been around since the beginning of time. It appears in the Old Testament when Cain lied to God after killing his brother, Abel (Genesis 4:9). It happened in the New Testament when the disciple Peter denied knowing Jesus (Matthew 26:69-74). Saltz (2004) writes that everyone has lied at least once in his or her lifetime. She pens, "We start lying around age 4 or 5 when children gain an awareness of the use and power of language. This first lying is not malicious, but rather to find out, or test, what can be manipulated in a child's environment. Eventually children begin to use lying to get out of trouble or get something they want" (p. 1). She goes on to note, "Lying often gets worse with the passage of time. When you get away with a lie it often impels you to continue your deceptions. Also, liars often find themselves perpetrating more untruths to cover themselves" (p. 1). Lloyd (2006) adds, "Some deception, such as boasting and lies in...