Hi,
This blogger was more than pleased to see that Edward Wasserman of the University of California-Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism had addressed publically the problem of Journalistic Ethics. It most certainly needs the attention continually.
Wasserman points out that the 1998 code most widely used and most influential for U.S. Journalists, was updated just before Labor Day this year with the hope it would cover more of the recent problems presented both by TV and the computer. He also pointed out that most of the other codes he had perused aren't much help. His summary concluded that journalists want to do the right thing and earn respect.
In this blogger's view, that means essentially: THEY MEAN WELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THAT PHRASE IN RECENT YEARS HAS EXCUSED SOME ROTTEN BEHAVIOR THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE OCCURRED IN MANY FIELDS INCLUDING JOURNALISM !!!!!!!!!
IT IS AKIN TO BEING DAMNED BY FAINT PRAISE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PROBLEMS IN JOURNALISM. THE SO-CALLED 'YELLOW PRESS" THAT BEGAN IN THE EARLY 1900S AND CONTINUES TODAY IN SCANDAL SHEETS ROCKED THE PRESS IN EARLY DAYS. THEY HAD TO TIGHTEN THEIR ETHICAL STANDARDS TO FIGHT AGAINST IT THEN. NOW IT'S WHAT WASSERMAN CALLS "CLICK-BAIT" OR WEB ANALYTICS, THE EASY ROAD TO POPULARITY AND LITTLE NEWS VALUE FOR READERS OR LISTENERS. "HERDING" OR "KEEPING IN THE CONVERSATION' AND "TRENDY" FORCES ABANDONMENT OF EDITORIAL JUDGEMENT AND MOVES FOR PROFIT MOTIVE. READERS DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT THEY REALLY NEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOO BAD BUT TRUE.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ????????????? YOU'VE GOT YOUR OWN ETHICAL PROBLEMS.
THE MEDIA INFORMS YOU ABOUT EVERYTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS A NUMBER ONE SOURCE OF INFORMATION IN A COMPLEX AND EXPANDING WORLD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND MORE IMPORTANT IN YOUR LIFE THAN YOU EVER WANTED IT TO BECOME !!!!!!!!!!!!
BUT IT HAS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THIS BLOG IS PROOF OF THAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BLOGS HAPPEN BECAUSE WE NEED THE INFORMATION THAT IS NOT BEING PROVIDED IN AN UNDERSTANDABLE AND DIRECT WAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE ARE BEING STARVED OUT OF THE NEWS WE NEED TO SURVIVE IN OUR MODERN WORLD SO LISTEN UP AND LEARN WHAT YOU NEED TO DEMAND OF YOUR PRESS, YOUR TV STATIONS AND YOUR COMPUTER YAKS.
WASSERMAN POINTS OUT THAT "DATA PILLAGE" IS ANOTHER JOURNALISM LOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEWS RELIES ON GETTING INFORMATION AND ETHICAL JOURNALISM RELIES ON THE WAY IT IS GOTTEN, USED, AND THE PRIVACY GIVEN TO OTHERS. ALL OF THOSE MOVES REQUIRE ETHICAL CONSIDERATION OFTEN MISSING. WASSERMAN POINTS OUT THERE HAS TO BE RESPECT FOR SECRECY AND PART OF THAT HAS TO BE OFFICIAL SECRECY. HEREIN LIES THE RUB !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHEN DOES OFFICIAL SECRECY BECOME CONTROL OF KNOWLEDGE WITHHELD FROM THE PUBLIC OR IS SLANTED TO PRESENT A VIEW THAT IS UNREALISTICALLY ONE SIDED. THIS BLOGGER HAS CERTAINLY COMMENTED OFTEN ON THE PROBLEM WITH THE RECENT ADMINISTRATION'S CONTROL OF NEWS AND SLANTED BIASED REPORTING. THIS BLOG HAS ATTEMPTED TO PRESENT ANOTHER VIEW TO PROVIDE SOME REALITY. THERE CERTAINLY IS A NEED IN GOVERNMENT FOR SOME SECRECY BUT IT HAS TO BE RESTRICTED CLEARLY TO SECURITY ISSUES AND NOT GOVERNMENT POLITICS.
BUT WE MUST BE CAREFUL THAT AN OPEN SESAME POLICY DOES NOT EXTEND TO BECOMING ACTUAL "YELLOW JOURNALISM" WITH A REVEAL ALL POLICY THAT INVADES EVERYONE['S PRIVACY OR UNDERMINES OUR GOVERNMENT. THE CAUTIONS CAN NOT ALLOW POLITICIANS TO HIDE THEIR PUBLISHABLE WRONG ACTIONS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WASSERMAN POINTS OUT THAT "THE PRINCIPLES THAT MIGHT GUIDE JOURNALISTS IN DECIDING WHEN TO PUBLISH ARE MORE URGENTLY NEEDED THAN EVER" AND OBVIOUSLY THE ETHICAL PUBLIC HAS NOT FORCED THAT ISSUE WITH THE PRESS.
RESPECT FOR THE PRESS IS VERY IMPORTANT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE MUST BE ABLE TO TRUST THEM TO DO THE RIGHT THING AS OUR SOURCE OF INTELLIGENT INFORMATION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS NOT AN EASY ROAD TO TRAVEL. THE HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS ARE FRAUGHT WITH PERIL AND ALL BASED ON A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL'S BELIEFS AND INTERPRETATION. UNLESS THE RULES OF BEHAVIOR ARE CLEAR, IT IS A DAUNTING TASK.
THERE ARE ALSO THOSE LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS IN JOURNALISM THAT RECENT MEDIEVAL KILLINGS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED. WHEN DO YOU DEEM IT BEST TO REMOVE YOURSELF FROM HARM'S WAY AND NOT GIVE THE ENEMY A PUBLICITY STUNT BY KILLING YOU ???????????????? NOT A LOVELY CHOICE.
CONSIDERING OUR DEPENDENCE ON THE MEDIA AND THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THAT DEPENDENCE, IT BEHOOVES (I LOVE THAT WORD) US TO TAKE MEASURES IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NATION TO SET UP CONFERENCES WITH THE PRESS AND ASK FOR MORE REALISTIC GUIDELINES IN THE KINDS OF SITUATIONS JOURNALISTS FACE.
NATIONALLY WE NEED TO TALK WITH THE SPI AND SEE IF MORE CREATIVE IDEAS CAN SURFACE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR JOURNALISTS TO EARN RESPECT AND YET DO THEIR JOB EFFICIENTLY. JOURNALISM SCHOOLS MUST PREPARE THEIR STUDENTS WISELY AND TEACH THEM HOW TO WEIGH ETHICAL AND MORAL PROBLEMS EFFICIENTLY FOR ON THE SPOT DECISIONS.
RESPECT IS NEVER EASY TO EARN BUT IT IS WORTHWHILE! IN THE LONG RUN THE PROFIT MOTIVE (ALWAYS A PART OF MODERN MEDIA) IS ENHANCED AND BOOSTED BY THE RESPECT JOURNALISM EARNS. SURE, THE IMMEDIATE SENSATION MAKES A BUCK BUT THAT'S NOT A LONG RANGE PROFIT AND IT SEEMS THAT "LONG RANGE" HAS BEEN NEGLECTED IN THE LIGHT OF COMPETITIVE FORCES.
IF NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES AND THE LIKE ARE THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION, IT IS BECAUSE THEY TOOK THE WRONG DIRECTION. THEY SHOULD LEAVE THE IMMEDIATE TO THE QUICKIE SOURCES AND DEMAND THE LONG TERM WITH ETHICAL AND MORAL REPORTING THAT GIVES THE PUBLIC THE INFORMATION THAT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY REALIZE IT NEEDS AND REQUIRES. THAT RESULTING RESPECT WOULD MAKE THOSE NEWSPAPERS FLY OFF THE NEWS STANDS AS IF BY MAGIC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE LONG RUN..........A TERM LITTLE HEARD NOW AND LESS OFTEN UNDERSTOOD!!!!!!! PROFIT IS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT LIVES HERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO DO GOALS AND UNDERSTANDING !!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEEDS AND RESOURCEFULNESS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RESPECT AND GROWTH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS HERE WHERE THE ETHICS AND MORALS GROW STRONG AND LIVE WELL.
WAKE UP THOSE VALUES AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GIVE JOURNALISTS A "RAISON D'ETRE" AS THE FRENCH SAY. "A REASON FOR BEING"--HONEST, ETHICAL AND MORAL AND A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THE "UNACCOMPLISHABLE".
ISN'T THAT WHAT MADE AMERICA THE GREATEST, STRONGEST, AND MOST INNOVATIVE LAND IN THE PAST. LET'S GET IT THAT WAY AGAIN.
CHEERS, CONNIE
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