What role does passive voice serve in news reporting and journalism to emphasize facts, events or outcomes? How does it help maintain objectivity, neutrality and focus on information rather than individuals? When does passive voice allow journalists to avoid assigning responsibility or bias in news reports?
Passive voice plays a significant role in news reporting and journalism by emphasizing facts, events, or outcomes without focusing on individual actors or subjects. By using passive voice, journalists can maintain objectivity and neutrality in their reporting by shifting the emphasis from the doer of an action to the action itself. This helps in focusing on the information being presented rather than attributing it to specific individuals, thereby avoiding potential bias or subjective influence.
Furthermore, passive voice allows journalists to avoid assigning direct responsibility or blame in news reports, especially in cases where the focus is on providing information rather than drawing conclusions or making accusations. This can be particularly useful in situations where the facts are still unclear or when assigning responsibility could lead to legal complications or misrepresentation of events.
Overall, the strategic use of passive voice in news reporting and journalism serves to uphold professional standards of objectivity, neutrality, and accuracy in presenting information to the public.