EDITORIAL BOARD: Amid USG elections, the Daily Trojan remains committed to responsible reporting

Thursday marks the final day of voting for Undergraduate Student Government candidates. Looking back on the election cycle as students cast their last ballots, the campaign process has been filled with intense vitriol, especially in the face of accusations made by the tickets against one another.

At the beginning of the semester, for our first editorial board, we vowed to hold the institutions on our campus accountable. USG is, of course, not excused from this process. We are committed to identifying how the organization can better serve students. This task includes endorsing the candidates we see most fit to lead the student body. It also includes providing information that students need to learn about their representatives. Readers should recognize our role in providing USG and other organizations with checks and balances.

That’s exactly what newspapers around the country are trying to accomplish on a national scale right now. But we have been caught in a media frenzy — and because of the rise of fake and sensationalist news, readers are debasing the work and legitimacy of credible newspapers. Many people don’t know what fair and balanced reporting looks like anymore, and it has become easy to succumb to groupthink in calling out the media as corrupt and unethical.

As USC’s sole campus newspaper, the Daily Trojan recognizes the responsibility to inform its readers, made up mostly of students, about USG elections. We produced a USG elections supplement, including a voter’s guide, in an effort to spotlight why civic engagement is so important and to educate readers about the meaningful role of student government at USC. This is because, as close followers of USG, we are dedicated to reporting the facts so that students know what their leaders are doing and can hold them accountable.

In the supplement, the editorial board officially endorsed the ticket we saw most fit to lead the highest student office at USC after interviewing each ticket and independently evaluating them. Our paper also covered the sanctions of the Austin-Morgan ticket because as a campus newspaper, we have a responsibility to report newsworthy campus events — but also because students deserve to make informed decisions as they cast their votes.

In response to our election coverage, some members of the student body have labeled the Daily Trojan as “biased” — an accusation that deeply disturbs us as editors of this publication. Moreover, readers have alleged that the Daily Trojan is trying to sway the elections or mislead voters.

Far from it, the Daily Trojan is dedicated to providing balanced coverage. In writing the stories about the sanctions imposed on the Austin-Morgan campaign, our publication spoke to all parties involved. We ensured, to the best of our abilities, that all candidates had a voice in our reporting. This practice is a pillar of good journalism and one that the Daily Trojan strives to meet.

All the while, we will not be deterred by criticism. At a time when reputable news organizations have come under attack by the highest office in the land, we will defend ourselves against accusations of media bias and irresponsible reporting. In addition, we encourage our readers to also uphold their commitment to fair and unbiased reporting. We hope readers will avoid giving in to the national mass hysteria around journalistic balance, and instead individually evaluate whether the sources are fair instead of jumping on a “biased media” bandwagon that is all too easy to join but is also ultimately unproductive.

Daily Trojan Spring 2017 Editorial Board