A recent post at Jay Rosen’s PressThink included a passage about self-described moderates in newsrooms. Their attitude represents a “professional ideology - newsroom religion, if you will - and it has no single name. Objectivity is one way of putting it, detachment another, professionalism a third.”

Rosen based his religious observation of a Pew Research Center survey (which I’ve written about previously). The survey found that a good majority of journalists call themselves “moderate” - many more than the general U.S. population.

The analogy of journalism to religion is not new. But it allows for a frame to discuss the press, and another set of analogies to help guide practitioners of the faith.

Objectivity, detachment and professionalism. In addition to those names Rosen gives this culture of faith, I’d add the journalist’s commitment to truth and fairness.

These serve as tenets of the journalistic faith.

Like all faiths, rewards follow sacrifice. Journalists attempt to excise biases, work toward a healthy skepticism, accurately relate events and watchdog the public good. A reporter or an editor, at least mentally, gives up parts of himself in dedication to these tasks.

For example, newsroom employees at the company I work for must disclose their investments, if asked. I understand the practice is common. Suppose a reporter works on a story that focuses on Disney. If she owns stock, she sacrifices privacy to pay the reader a debt of fairness in disclosing that stock.

Consider the basis of U.S. law: the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Many news organization ask their employees to effectively give up the First Amendment right of petition. We do so, knowing that the right of the press in the same amendment has greater weight for this profession.

Reward for these sacrifices and others comes in arming the news consumer with information. Bylines and small notoriety feed the ego. However, information can live on outside the bounds of a news page or broadcast - and the journalist’s control - and grow into a force that effects change.

The same Pew survey found that about six in ten newsroom employees see cash pressuring the baseline tenets of the profession. And that, among national journalists, a majority of senior editors and reporters - regardless of medium - see the profession as headed in the wrong direction.

Rosen, I think correctly, points out a crisis of faith among journalists. How, exactly does one keep the faith?

These suggestions, though in my own words, are not my own. They are sprinkles of journalistic holy water that I’ve sponged up, and found useful.

• Change perspective. Learn to see events from the eyes of others - the devil’s advocate, if you will. It rounds out a journalist’s perspective, and helps her ask better questions.

• Live with style and grammar. Using a grammar and stylebook shows discipline. Stylebooks and grammars help journalists accurately and reliably relate events; they are evolving scriptures.
• Cultivate curiosity. Have a strong interest in the world, and what’s happening in it. Ask questions.
• Record everything. Filtering separates journalists from stenographers. Journalists touch each story with subtle interpretations of events. This means that sometimes we get it wrong. Take copious notes. Use a voice recorder. Catalog interviews religiously. With computers, there’s no excuse. Perfecting the inner information pack-rat protects both journalists and their sources from unfaithful characterizations.
• Divert passion. Follow the true believer’s path through this profession, but find a hobby. Burnout breeds mistakes. Take up fishing. Buy a kayak. Knit. Collect stamps. Whatever.

Journalists have the power to stem the crisis of confidence shown in the Pew survey. Rededication to the fundamentals, like those I’ve suggested, sets us on the right path to that goal.