With the recent phone hacking scandal in the British media and the more than century old News of the World collapsing under the weight of its own immorality many are rightfully starting to ask tough questions of the media.

In Canada recently CTV news Quebec City bureau chief Kai Nagata resigned his plum position because he felt he could no longer keep himself out of the news. He needed to get involved.

Last week’s decision by Sun Media to pull out of the Ontario Press Council, a media watch dog, has left many people there wondering if there is such a thing as impartiality in the media.

Media has become increasingly unpopular in our culture as people begin to question whether any organization can hold them accountable. To put it succinctly as a popular graphic novel once asked “who’s watching the watchmen?”

We in the fourth estate have enormous power but we often fail to recognize it (or more frighteningly we recognize it all too well). Our words shape opinion, political decisions and ultimately lives and so it is important for each journalist to respect the pen they wield as it were.

Back in the Stone Age when I was in journalism school we really were taught to strive for objectivity and impartiality in our hard news stories and save opinion for columns and editorials (like this). I know that is difficult to believe because I have heard and read so many comments over the years that tell me the general public does not for a second believe the media is either impartial or objective.

Frankly we in the media have not given many the opportunity to believe we are fair and unbiased when news agencies and media outlets regularly and publically declare a political position in the left or the right and then begin demonizing one another.

So with all that in mind I suppose it is important that you all know that we are in fact biased. We are not impartial and we are not objective. This is because every journalist is shaped by a life of experience and it becomes the filter through which we see the world.

That being said it is a mistake to assume for a second that we cannot still strive for the more noble ideals of objectivity and impartiality. While we may never fully attain to the goal we must seek it if we are to offer any value to the culture we are placed within.

So back to the question of who’s watching the watchmen? You are of course. We all are. You keep us honest by not falling prey to apathy. You keep us on track by writing your letters and having the courage to tell us when you believe we got it right and when we got it wrong.

Good media is a part of the community, seeking to engage in dialogue with its readers so that we might sharpen and improve one-another. Ultimately we become the ears, eyes and mouthpieces of a community and so must reflect every facet of the gem that is our towns, cities and nation.

Remember to keep us honest, watch us carefully and tell us what you think.