Words can be destructive; no one knows that better than journalists. A single inaccuracy or biased statement can be the line between complete trust and total loss of credibility. Reporters struggle with this line constantly, as everything they publish is under scrutiny.

As news becomes infested with inaccurate reporting or, in some cases, completely non-credible sources, journalism as a profession is suffering. The American public has lost much of its willingness to believe what they read due to the “fake news” that circles social media. Those who try to report the news honestly and fully are constantly being undermined by those who do not.

As student journalists, the Oracle has experienced some level of this skepticism as well. Therefore, the Editorial Board would like to state our priorities in the reporting process so that we may create transparency with our audience and encourage feedback on our work.

Before the reporting process even begins, the Editorial Board carefully reviews and evaluates each topic for its importance and the impact it could potentially have on our readers. Furthermore, throughout the reporting process, each story goes through multiple rounds of editing and is thoroughly fact-checked before being published.

When reporting on controversial topics, especially polarized political issues, avoiding bias is key. While that may seem obvious, it is more easily said than done. In the past, the Oracle’s coverage has been deemed leaning one way or another when covering certain topics such as the election spread earlier this year. It is easy to consider a story leaning left or right due to the subject matter alone. Therefore, the Oracle staff and Editorial Board encourages our readers to look closely at the coverage of a certain topic rather than just the topic itself.

We want to be as fair and accurate as possible in our reporting, and it is up to both ourselves and our readers to be critical of what we publish. After each issue is published, the Oracle staff discusses and critiques our published work to improve the quality and accuracy of our reporting. The Oracle Editorial Board believes that letters to the editors are an effective way to aid us in this process;* fostering dialogue between reporters and media consumers ensures that this accuracy is upheld.

The duty of the press is to ascertain that all citizens remain informed on current issues, both global and domestic. The First Amendment’s right to freedom of the press was intended to ensure that journalists were able to effectively do this, but consumers and reporters must work together to make certain this freedom is not abused. Through upholding the aforementioned reporting process, and therefore our integrity as student journalists, the Oracle Editorial board hopes to be a positive force in regaining trust between those who produce the news and those who consume it.

*The Oracle may be contacted through email at

gbsoracle@gmail.com