READINGS: Journalism Ethics—NOT an Oxymoron! A Free & Responsible Press
Codes of Eth
ics• Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics
• “Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, Radio-Television News Directors Association”
• Principles of Journalism
• Public Relations Society of America Member Code of Ethics
• Code of Ethics of Al Jazeera
• Guidelines for a Free & Responsible Press (“The Philosophical Underpinnings of Free Expression in Society,” by Edward C. Pease. The Hutchins Commission & its Antecedents)
• “Ask These 10 Questions to Make Good Ethical Decisions”
• SmartTalk on blog
• Quiz
I've found myself questioning people much more than I used to when I started this class. They'll bring out random facts and I don't want to sound like a total buzzkill, or rain on their parade, or any other metaphor that might apply, but I just can't help but to ask 'where did you hear that?' Or 'you actually believe that?' I also have to say that most of the readings haven't really changed my stance on certain debates (ie same-sex marriage, global warming) but it has brought more information to the table that I at least can think about now. If the semester continues like this, I'll feel very well-versed in hot arguments, and I'll certainly have good points to make at the water cooler in the morning. Here's to a third of the semester down!
ReplyDeleteThe final sentence of the article by Dr. Ted is particularly horrifying in my mind. "It was a test the media failed." Wow. It is true that some people are still out there trying to live up to the standards that original newpapers set for themselves. However, it seems that some of the most influential media does not hold itself to such a high standard. Perhaps this relates back to the issue of economics... Smaller media must be most truthful and reliable in order to have any readers/veiwers, but big businesses already have a following and can do whatever they want with that power.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I feel like journalists should review the code of ethics. Far too often do journalists dig deep into touchy subjects disregarding how it may affect the subject. An example of this would be the Herriman fires. I know I've mentioned this about three times since it has happened, but it seems to fit a lot of topics. Three houses were completely burnt down in the blaze and some journalists were interviewing people who had just lost their house as well as everything in it. Want to know the first question they asked? "How do you feel that your house is burnt down and you have nowhere to live?". Really? Is that anyway to phrase a question to someone who has not only lost their home but everything inside it i.e. furniture, baby pictures, photo albums, etc.? I found it ridiculous and extremely inappropriate under the circumstances. There are certain ways to handle "touchy" subjects and I think reporters these days are too concerned about getting a good story instead of protecting the individuals involved.
ReplyDeleteChelsea Ebeling
I really liked Bob Steele's "Ask These 10 Questions to Make Good Ethical Decisions." "7. What if the roles were reversed? How would I feel if I were in the shoes of one of the stakeholders?" and "10. Can I clearly and fully justify my thinking and my decision? To my colleagues? To the stakeholders? To the public?" stood out to me the most. People too often jump to conclusions and form strict opinions about issues without thinking in another point of view. With that, this causes them to also often fail to realize that they aren't clearly expressing why they support these same issues. Without a clear, well-rounded thought process, it is extremely difficult to be sure you are making good ethical decisions.
ReplyDelete--Nicole Murray
I have to chime in with Eric.Budd - this course has me questioning a lot more in the media than I did before. But the surprising thing is the reaction you get when you simply question something. Surprise, confusion, defensiveness - people are not used to having their sacred news sources questioned. If it's on the news (or in print) it must be true, right?? Maybe not. Let's spread the smarts...
ReplyDelete