Paired journalism

Overview:
“Paired Journalism” is a systematic methodology developed by the Executive Editor of Perspective Tribune (an edited blog), in conjunction with its President and CEO, which seeks to bring together pairs of writers who bring two opposite viewpoints on a given issue. The writers then enter into a discussion and write an essay that integrates elements of their perspectives into a rounded article that is as devoid of bias as possible. This in turn allows readers with a broad variety of interests and persuasions to be presented with one article that includes ideas that are often found only in multiple journalistic sources.
History:

On March 1, 2009 3 Brooklyn College (CUNY) students Menachem M. Hecht, Volkan Algin, and Ferdi F. Ozsoy were discussing the possibility of a new and innovative approach for news reporting. The conversation centered on the question of what could be improved on in conventional journalism, at the same time whether this niche would also attract a corollary and appreciative readership.
The question that emerged had philosophical undertones as it revolved around the possibility of objective reporting. The result was the agreement that while absolute objectivity was impossible, striving for objectivity was necessary. This led to the decision that a unique method was needed to support our stated goal. This resulted in a, albeit, common journalistic approach; coauthored articles by pairs of journalists. We proposed to make “Paired Journalism” the standard for our news reporting. Moreover, to further the cause of objective journalism, the teams of writers are paired from the wide spectrum of nationalities, cultures, and communities that are often at odds.
Controversy:
A number of critiques have been raised in relation to “Paired Journalism”. The two major challenges argue that the assertion that this is an innovative approach is misleading because articles essays and books are often co-authored. While the response may not be sufficient for some, it is clear that no news or journalistic outlet has argued that their reporting puts foremost emphasis on objective reporting using “Paired Journalism”. The second challenge is that even if the reports reflect a wide and diverse spectrum of integrated perspectives there is still the question of who evaluates whether the article meets the criteria of minimum bias. Perspective Tribune responds that just as we have Paired Journalism” we also have “Paired Editing” using the same method as described above.

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