America 1929: John F. Kennedy, the Great Writer

After the applause subsided, Arthur continued, "Now let's talk about the nature of news."

"What is news?"

Some say news is a record of facts. Some say news is the pursuit of truth. Others say news is the eyes of the public.

"These statements are all correct. But I'd like to add one point."

"News is also a choice."

"Journalists face countless events every day, but newspaper space is limited. What you choose to report and what you don't report is itself a stance."

"For example, a dockworkers' strike. You can report on the workers' demands, writing about their poor working conditions, meager wages, and their families going hungry."

"You can also report on the impact of strikes on businesses, writing about stockpiled goods, losses for merchants, and economic damage."

"You can also report on how the police maintain order, how hard they work, and how they face threats of violence."

"The same event, three completely different stories. Which one you choose depends on whose perspective you take."

Another man in the front row suddenly stood up, speaking in an aggressive tone.

"Mr. Kennedy, are you implying that journalism doesn't require objectivity? Are you defending your own fabrication?"

"I didn't say that journalism doesn't need objectivity. I'm saying that absolute objectivity is an illusion."

"Let me give you an example. Suppose the mayor says the economy is doing well, but workers say they can't find jobs. I guess you're a journalist too, how would you report that?"

The man replied without hesitation: "Citing both sides, let the reader judge for themselves."

"That sounds fair. But actually, you're avoiding a crucial question: Who's telling the truth?"

"If the mayor is lying, presenting his words alongside the workers' words is not objectivity; it's complicity."

"Because you've given lies the same status as the truth."

The auditorium was silent for a few seconds.

True objectivity is not simply presenting both sides' viewpoints, but verifying the facts and telling the reader the truth. But this is difficult because the truth often offends people.

The man sneered:

That sounds nice. But what about your "Yes, Mayor"? You fabricated a dialogue; does that count as verifying facts?

"Good question. I admit that 'Yes, Mayor' is not news reporting in the traditional sense."

"But it's not entirely fabricated. The dialogues I wrote, though fictional, are based on real events."

"For example, I wrote about how administrative officials use vague language to evade questions. This wasn't something I made up; it's a pattern I observed after watching government press conferences."

"I wrote about how municipal officials discussed how to package bad news as good news. This isn't just speculation; it's based on real practices revealed by insiders I interviewed."

"I simply pieced together these scattered observations and pieces of information into a coherent story."

"This is a creative technique. I call it ironic reconstruction."

Whispers filled the auditorium.

The person continued to press:

"But ultimately, you're just making up a story. How can you guarantee your 'observations' are accurate? How can you guarantee you haven't distorted the facts?"

"I can't guarantee that."

Arthur's answer surprised everyone.

"I can't guarantee I'm 100% accurate. But can you?"

His face was pale, and he did not answer.

"Traditional news reporting can also be wrong. Reporters may be misled, sources may lie, and editors may be biased."

"Mistakes are inevitable. The key is how you deal with them."

"If I'm wrong, I'll admit it and correct it. But more importantly, my articles aren't meant to provide standard answers, but to stimulate thought."

"After reading 'Yes, Mayor,' readers might wonder: Is this really how the government operates? If so, why? If not, what is the truth?"

"This kind of thinking is valuable in itself. I don't need to be 100% correct. I just need to be close enough to the truth to spark discussion."

A female student stood up, her voice clear and crisp.

"Mr. Kennedy, I really enjoyed your article. But I have a question. If every journalist wrote like you, wouldn't journalism become very chaotic?"

Arthur looked at her, his expression softening.

"Good question. I don't think every journalist should write like I do."

"The press needs diversity. It needs people to do serious investigative reporting and dig deep into the issues. It needs people to provide timely news coverage and tell the public what happened. It also needs people to provide commentary and analysis to help the public understand the significance of the events."

"What I'm doing is a different kind of experiment. I combine observation, analysis, and literary creation to create a new mode of expression."

"This approach won't replace traditional news, but it can serve as a supplement. Just like a band, it needs different instruments. The violin has its role, the drums have their role. Only when they play together can they create harmonious music."

Suddenly, someone in the front row slammed their hand on the table.

A man with gray hair stood up, his voice booming.

"Mr. Kennedy, you speak eloquently, but I have a question for you."

"What makes you think you're qualified to criticize the government? What makes you think you know more about the situation than officials who have worked at city hall for years?"

"You're just a young man in your twenties with no political or management experience. What you've written is nothing but an outsider's ignorant accusations against an expert."

The atmosphere in the auditorium suddenly became tense.

Arthur looked at the man.

"May I ask who you are?"

"I am John Harlan, a senior editor at The New York American. I have worked in journalism for thirty years."

"Mr. Harlan, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Arthur's tone was calm.

"You said I'm not qualified to criticize the government because I have no political experience."

"You say I'm an outsider accusing an expert out of ignorance. Then I'd like to ask, are all investigative journalists experts?"

Are all journalists reporting on medical malpractice cases doctors?

Are all journalists reporting on financial scandals bankers?

Are all journalists covering military issues generals?

"If, according to your logic, journalists can only report on matters within their own area of ​​expertise, then would journalism even need to exist?"

Harlan's face turned very ugly.

That's sophistry!

"No, this is logic."

Arthur raised his voice slightly.

"You said I'm not qualified to criticize the government because I don't know the situation."

"Then I'd like to ask, do those officials who have worked at the city hall for many years understand the lives of ordinary citizens?"

"Do they know that dockworkers work sixteen hours a day and still can't support their families?"

"Do they know that Brooklyn residents walk on the rickety overpass every day, worried they might fall into the river one day?"

"Do they know that unemployed workers are lining up for welfare, only to be told there's not enough budget?"

"If they knew all this, why did they build the bridge with substandard bricks? Why did they cut relief budgets? Why did they turn a deaf ear to the workers' demands?"

"So, who exactly is unaware of the situation?"

A burst of enthusiastic applause erupted in the auditorium.

However, a shout suddenly came from the back row:

No matter what you say, it doesn't change the fact that you're a liar!