How much do you trust automotive journalists?

As sufficient experience is concerned, you will get it sooner or later, no one is born with it. The same applies to knowledge. Factors that can be characterized as “innate” are writing skills, subtle perception, and the talent to convey impressions on paper. Of course, these attributed can be “sharpened” in time to a greater or lesser extent. All of the above is primarily in the service of providing the best possible information to readers.

The Chicken or the Egg?
Eternal question – “which came first, the chicken or the egg” may be applied to our sector in some way. One media consists of journalists, but also the authority of the media provides some additional credibility to the journalists. There are very influential and well known magazines, websites and TV shows, but there are also a handful of globally well known journalists, who actually are good “actors” whose charisma and popularity is used to increase ratings, readerships and the like (Read “profit”). As our people would say “it takes money to make money”, which means that one who has “resources” can afford some additional acquisition.

Green Is Popular
The automotive media’s impact on car sales is immeasurable. The “ocean” known as the global market is very cruel, and all those who do not know how to sail will inevitably sink. For this reason, the “synergy” of car manufacturers and automotive journalists is imminent, however, the question is – is that exaggerated sometimes? It is clear that car companies are paying for lobbying, and in all this is pretty difficult to remain completely neutral, but it does not seem such a big deal because the bigger problem is when the world of cars finds itself in politics. Nissan Leaf’s “European Car of the Year” title rather suggests that it is exactly that.

Green color is the most popular cover in these times. When you want to sell something, just “paint” it green; when you want to promote an idea, just mention that its consequences have a positive impact on the environment. Sometimes, omitting the information is the same as lying. In the case of electric cars and their “zero emission” and “purity”, there is a persistent neglecting of some facts such as toxic chemicals contained in batteries and the waste that is generated in that way. However, we will write more about the issue some other time.

What is ignored is that the two pillars of (automotive) journalism – the integrity and credibility are undermined in this way.

The First Information Is in the Hands of Journalists
When something like this happens (the Nissan Leaf’s title), it inevitably raises questions about the “expertise” and “honest intentions” of automotive journalists. Few of them are engineers or trained persons who have the necessary knowledge to evaluate build quality, car mechanics etc. Few automotive journalists are (or were) drivers with racing experience. Even passionate enthusiasts are the minority (I say this from my own experience). How then overall public opinion can trust in what has been written? What is our advantage, as journalists, is that the information first comes to us, and in a certain period of time we are the only ones who have it. It is up to you whether you will believe us or not, and the credibility that has been painstakingly acquired can be tumbled down in a moment. The currently existing system is such that companies present their products to journalists who spread the word, and it is generally rewritten press release.

Integrity Is Hard to Acquire But Easy to Lose
Do you want the most detailed and most accurate insight into the characteristics of a car? If your answer is “yes”, our advice is – go to the automotive internet forums, and you will find what you are interested in a greater of lesser extent. The only disadvantage of forums is that the information appears with a small delay compared to the automotive media which get the new models before they reach the market.

One day, you’ll probably be able to go to the local dealership, sit in a simulator and drive the car that is about to be launched, with complete information about all the details you need. What do you think, are you going to have more accurate insight into the situation compared to what you can find in a car magazine? Again, we come to the question of integrity of automotive media, and let me repeat – what is hard to acquire can be easy to lose.

Nissan Leaf as a “Economic Policy” Value
Journalists from influential European media who were members of the jury and favored Nissan Leaf:

United Kingdom
Steve Croply – Autocar, What Car
Andrew English – The Daily Telegraph
Andrew Frankel – The Sunday Times, Autocar, Motorsport
Paul Horrel – Top Gear BBC, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Express
Phil McNamara – Car Magazine

Germany
Thomas Imhof – MOT, Welt am Sonntag
Georg Kacher – Auto Bild, Car

France
Jean-Jacques Cornaert - Le Moniteur de lAutomobile

It is interesting that five of the six British journalists favored Nissan Leaf giving it a total of 44 points, while the entire Spanish crew (6 members) gave the Japanese electric vehicle only 2 points! Another maximum score (10 points) came from Norway.

Independence from Those They Cover
Finally, as in other spheres of life - money is power. One has to make a living, some would say, but some basic principles of journalism must not be forgotten, even when we talk about cars: Journalism's first obligation is to the truth, it must serve as an independent monitor of power, it must take responsibility, its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover, and it must use honorable means… In general, the football will also become much more honest game when the subjective judgment of referees is part of the past... one day…