News reports should always be based on fact, not emotion. They should be written in a tone that’s clear and objective, and they should be balanced with perspectives from people on opposite sides of an issue. Credible news sources should also cite experts in their field and explain how they are qualified to give their opinion. If you’re not sure if a source is credible, look at their bio at the place they claim to work and check out their academic credentials or LinkedIn page.
A journalist’s job is to report what’s happening in the world, including events at the White House. The president’s aides can only give so much information, and the media’s job is to fill in the gaps. That’s why the WHCA created the “press pool,” a team of reporters who cover the president on behalf of the broader press corps. Each day, the 13 journalists in the print and TV pools file “pool notes” for the benefit of the entire press corps. These notes, along with the images and footage that are shared in a variety of formats, provide a daily record of the presidency.
The WHCA’s founders understood that the American public depends on its independent media for reliable information about the whereabouts and condition of the commander-in-chief, even in private. That’s why they formed the WHCA in 1914, less than 21 years after Grover Cleveland brazenly lied to reporters about his health and surgery.