In the pursuit of justice and impartiality, journalists have often developed a reflexive tendency to present both sides of an argument with equal weight even when one side is demonstrably false or misleading or have portrayed this practice as a virtue under all circumstances. However, this “false balance” is considered one of the most insidious threats to truth in modern media. Legitimizing clear and provable falsehoods under the guise of neutrality does more harm than good to society. False balance typically manifests in three primary forms: I. Equivalence: Presenting facts and lies/misinformation as if they hold equal validity. II. Amplification: Granting undue visibility to marginal or scientifically debunked viewpoints. III. Avoidance of Accountability: Journalists shying away from explicitly labeling false or misleading claims. The pressure to appear neutral often conflicts with the duty to report the truth. News outlets that engage in fact-checking face accusations of political bias, while challenging entrenched false beliefs risks undermining audience trust. Yet, these challenges do not absolve journalists of their fundamental professional responsibility. Therefore, news reporting should be based not on arbitrary balance but on verified evidence. For instance, if 99% of the evidence supports a position, news coverage should reflect that. The perspectives of credible institutions and experts should be prioritized, while marginal views should be presented with clear context regarding their standing in the field. False or misleading claims must be refuted directly and unequivocally, not through vague language. The origins, key actors, and societal impacts of false narratives should be thoroughly examined. If every claim is treated equally, journalism loses its function. The choice is clear: either continue normalizing deception through false balance, or reclaim journalism’s role as society’s “truth-teller.” The truth is not always debatable; sometimes, it is simply the truth and journalists must have the courage to state it plainly.
Release date: 2025
Conference: V. INTERNATIONAL VAN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH CONGRESS
Page: 340-341
For citation: Temir, E. (2025). False balance: The illusion of neutrality overshadowing truth in journalism. V. International Van Scientific Research Congress Proceedings (pp. 340–341).