Journalists can regain public’s trust by reaffirming basic values

[Commentary] Wide swaths of the country, both geographically and demographically, don’t believe us. They see us as tools of some amorphous establishment, and have turned for their news of the world to alternate channels, to put it politely. To them, “corporate media” is of a piece with government insiders and self-dealers who, to paraphrase the tagline of one of this year’s attack ads, make government work…for them. Journalism is only one part of the problem. But it can and in my view should be part of the solution.

We can help provide the country with a common basis of facts and a common vocabulary to discuss our challenges. We have the power to actually introduce Americans from different backgrounds and points of view to each other. We can, in the popular phrase, be a convener of important conversations. 2016’s presidential campaign has provided a great opportunity to show how important we can be. Independent, fair-minded journalism is desperately needed. We need to find out how to rebuild it everywhere. That’s something we can ask the public to believe in. We did not have that conversation during the election. We need to have it now.

[Michael Oreskes is head of NPR News. He was national political correspondent and Washington bureau chief of The New York Times.]