The Political Mix at The Dallas Morning News

Have you ever wondered about the political leanings of the journalists who bring you the news every day? A reader recently asked The Dallas Morning News if they could share more about their staff's political affiliations. This isn't the first time they've gotten this question. In fact, it comes up quite often. The reader was inspired by a story about NPR, where it was revealed that their editorial team in Washington, D. C. , was made up of 87 Democrats and zero Republicans. The reader thought that sharing these numbers could help the public decide what to make of the news. However, the Public Editor at The Dallas Morning News isn't so sure this would be helpful. They believe that journalists should be trusted to do their jobs with skill and integrity, no matter their political affiliation.The Executive Editor, Katrice Hardy, agrees. She points out that we don't ask other professionals to disclose their politics. We trust them to do their jobs well, so why should journalists be any different? When journalists sign up for the job, they agree to follow certain standards, like getting the facts right, providing context, and being fair. It's also important to remember that people can't be defined by their political labels alone. There are liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats, and many other factors that make up who we are. The Public Editor also wants to make it clear that journalists aren't perfect. That's why there's a Public Editor in the first place, to keep the newsroom accountable. While the newsroom leadership strives to meet high standards, they don't always get it right. But that doesn't mean they're incompetent or unprofessional. It just means they're human.