Not Credible

In the book of Proverbs, there are multiple references to personal integrity. One such reference is found in this passage, from the 10th chapter, which says:
8 The wise in heart will receive commands, But a prating fool will fall.
9 He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known.
10 He who winks with the eye causes trouble, But a prating fool will fall.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary offers three definitions for the word, "integrity:"

1  :firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : INCORRUPTIBILITY

2  :an unimpaired condition : SOUNDNESS

3  :the quality or state of being complete or undivided : COMPLETENESS

 

This implies a commitment to truthfulness and being trustworthy; not saying one thing and doing the other.  We are not to misrepresent facts or situations, but we should make sure that what we say is the absolute truth. If we are committed to credibility, we can be reliable people who are committed to bringing honor to our Savior through our desire to be truthful.

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Personal integrity ought to be a characteristic of the Christian life that is readily apparent. While the Bible teaches us not live to please others, but rather to please God, it certainly pleases the Lord when we are being truthful. Proverbs 11 says:
1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight.
2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.

Those who follow Christ have believed in His truth and accepted what the Bible teaches, that if we confess with our mouths the lordship of Christ and believe that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.  That's according to Romans 10.  We have believed the truth.  We also testify to the truth of God by being people of integrity - who are committed to telling the truth, devoted to honesty, as a testament to the presence of Christ within us.

There has been a controversy recently about a sports reporter whose definition of what is actually true is suspect.  The website, Deadline, reported:

A growing chorus of peers is speaking out about Fox Sports’ NFL Kickoff host Charissa Thompson’s admission that she “would make up” sideline reports at games because, she says, “The coach wouldn’t come out at halftime or it was too late.”

The latest to comment comes from Lead Sideline Reporter for the NFL on CBS Tracy Wolfson, who called Thompson’s actions “absolutely not ok, not the norm and upsetting on so many levels.”

The website also noted that ESPN reporter Molly McGrath tweeted out, “Young reporters: This is not normal or ethical. Coaches and players trust us with sensitive information, and if they know that you’re dishonest and don’t take your role seriously, you’ve lost all trust and credibility.”

Total Pro Sports quoted former sideline reporter Michelle Tafoya, who tweeted out, “Honestly, this makes me sad...Charissa is a nice person, but this is professional fraud. If a coach won’t talk to you at halftime, you say that. And if there is no report, then you just don’t file a report at half-time. It’s pretty simple. journalistic integrity is paramount.”

Deadline updated its story to cover Thompson's Instagram story, in which she said she desired to “address the elephant in the room.”  The story included quotes from the reporter:

“Working in media I understand how important words are and I chose the wrong words to describe the situation,” she said, adding “I’m sorry. I have never lied about anything or been unethical during my time as a sports broadcaster.”

She clarified that “in the absence of a coach providing any information,” she would use information she had gathered and saw during the first half to create her report. “For example if a team was 0 for 7 on 3rd down, that would clearly be an area they needed to improve on in the second half. In these instances I never attributed anything I said to a player or a coach.”

OK, whatever...we're living in a day in which journalists seem to have lost a sense of integrity - maybe it's sloppiness, perhaps it's a desire to break a big story by embellishing the facts, maybe there is a lack of commitment to factual reporting due to the pursuit of an agenda, and information that doesn't fit a narrative gets left out or altered.  Whatever the case, trust in media has hit a low point, according to Gallup; just over a month ago, its website reported:

The 32% of Americans who say they trust the mass media “a great deal” or “a fair amount” to report the news in a full, fair and accurate way ties Gallup’s lowest historical reading, previously recorded in 2016.

Even the Society of Professional Journalists has weighed in, stating:

Thompson said in a recent interview on the “Pardon My Take” podcast that she sometimes made-up coaches’ quotes during sideline reports, adding that no coach would deny a broad statement. This also isn’t the first time she’s admitted to making up quotes. She first admitted to it in 2022 during her “Calm Down” podcast with Fox Sports reporter Erin Andrews. Andrews said it was something she has also done, which is equally concerning to SPJ.

“Fabricating quotes or other information is unethical and a violation of the SPJ Code of Ethics,” said SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins. “Journalists should strive to seek truth and minimize harm. While some may believe it is harmless to fabricate these types of quotes, it begs the question, if a sports journalist can do so and get away with it, are other journalists doing the same thing? Thompson’s behavior is inexcusable and it damages the credibility of the entire field of journalism and fosters public distrust towards all the journalists who practice the highest ethical standards.”

So, one takeaway from the Charissa Thompson debacle is that trust in the media has waned, and it leaves every one of us, especially Christians, with a responsibility to be selective regarding our sources of information.  At Faith Radio, it is certainly our desire to be a trusted source of Biblical truth and relevant information, featuring reliable, sound Bible teaching, and news and information presented factually.

Here's an example of a news story that can also help us to think about our own personal integrity.  We can consider whether or not we are a person of trust.  Are we committed to living His truth and telling the truth?  Or do we fudge on the facts when it works to our advantage?  Do we strive to get the "little things" right?  Or do we misrepresent information either ignorantly or intentionally?  It's sad to think that this one sideline reporter will now probably forever be associated with deceptive practices.  That's why believers in Christ, because we represent Him and want to bring glory to God, should be committed to personal integrity - making sure we are being honest. Because a tarnished reputation can damage our witness.