Journalism: It’s not about “both sides”—it’s about what’s actually true

When one person says it’s raining and another insists it’s not, a journalist’s job isn’t to quote them both and call it a day. The job is to go outside, look up, and report what’s actually happening. That basic principle—verification over balance—feels increasingly absent from modern journalism, especially at the local level.

I’ve seen this play out firsthand in the ongoing political arguments over property taxes here in Illinois. Republicans often argue that high property taxes are the governor’s fault. Democrats push back, saying the governor has no control over property taxes at all. And what does much of the local media do? Instead of investigating the claim and explaining how property taxes actually work, they hand each side a microphone and let the audience “decide.” But that’s not journalism. That’s outsourcing the truth.

The reality is not especially complicated, and it’s certainly not hidden. Property taxes in Illinois are not collected by the state government. They’re collected at the county level and distributed locally—to municipalities, school districts, libraries, park districts, and other community services. In other words, the bulk of property tax decisions are made locally, not by the governor.

Could the state government step in? Yes, to a degree. Lawmakers could impose caps or create policies that influence local taxation. But that’s indirect. The day-to-day decisions—the ones that determine how much you actually pay—are made much closer to home.

So in this case, one side is mostly right, and the other is partially right. That’s the nuance. That’s the truth. And it’s exactly the kind of clarity journalism is supposed to provide.

Instead, we get a false equivalence that doesn’t inform anyone. Because let’s be honest: people aren’t “weighing both sides” in good faith. Most people already know which side they’re going to believe. If you’ve historically voted Republican, you’re likely to trust Republican messaging. If you’ve voted Democrat, you’ll lean the other way. Presenting both arguments without context doesn’t educate—it reinforces existing biases.

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And that’s where the real damage happens. When journalism fails to do the basic work of verification, it leaves a vacuum that gets filled by partisanship and assumption. Over time, people stop looking for truth altogether. They just wait to be told what to think.

But the truth, in this case, is easy to find—and that’s what makes it so frustrating. If you’re a taxpayer wondering why your property taxes are high, blaming the governor isn’t going to solve anything. A better place to start is your annual tax statement. It breaks down exactly where your money is going, line by line. From there, look at the local bodies making those decisions: your school board, village board, township officials, road commissioners. These are the people shaping your tax bill.

Attend a meeting. Ask questions. Pay attention to budgets. And if you don’t like what you see, vote. Local elections consistently have some of the lowest turnout in the country, which is ironic—because they’re the ones where your vote carries the most weight.

Or take it a step further: run for office yourself.

I did. I served on my village board for four years, and it completely changed how I understand local government. I saw how decisions are made, where the money goes, and how much impact local officials really have. It also showed me how much difference one engaged person can make.

That’s the responsibility of citizens. But journalists have a responsibility too. Their job isn’t to play referee between competing narratives. It’s to investigate, verify, and explain. It’s to step outside, look at the sky, and tell us whether it’s raining—clearly, confidently, and without hedging for the sake of “balance.”

Because when journalism forgets that, the rest of us are left guessing. And we deserve better than that.

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Now that Jack has been forced to reflect on everything he has to lose, he resolves to do better. He’s determined to spend more time at home with his family and repair the relationships that have suffered over the years while he’s been so focused on work. But as Callie’s behavior becomes increasingly bizarre, Jack realizes he has a lot more room to improve than he realized – and it might be too late to save his daughter after all.

For fans of We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Push, and Baby Teeth.