Meida Ethics Discusson -- COM101 Mass Communications

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 13:08:48 12/05/08 Fri
Author: Karla Figuereo
Subject: Meida Ethics Discusson

�Outing! When the media does it for you.�

When it comes to journalism, we all have to remember the code of ethics. Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. To further this, the job of a journalist is to seek truth and provide a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Journalism believes they serve the public thoroughness and honesty. In order for a journalist to keeps their credibility they must keep into account their professional integrity.

The media claims that a journalist who does the outing of an individual must have journalistic justifications. But, in the case of the Pentagon official who was �outed� by a journalist, I believe that the media lost its integrity because there was no real justification. The media tried to say that the white house was showing hypocrisy towards gays in the military while they have their own homosexual employees working for them. There were better ways of having this come across then to out someone so publically. When outing someone whether they be a politician or a private citizen, makes homosexuality seem wrong; and is discriminatory. It puts homosexuality in a bad light to the public. What does someone�s private preference have to do with his public act?
There should be guidelines for a newspaper as to how it should go about homosexuality and publicizing it. I believe that it would have gone over much better if the media were able to go directly to the individual for an interview or statement. Everyone should have the choice as to whether they would like their sexual preference �blasted� to the world in black and white on the front door steps of America, in the wee hours of the morning, while people are drinking their morning coffee.
The newspaper does not have the ethical right to negatively display someone�s sexual preference and would not have done it, if for example the politician was white and was dating outside their race. America, for the most part has gotten over racial differences but we can�t yet seem to accept people�s sexual differences. Sexuality is a very private matter and should be kept that way, which is why, in my opinion, homosexuality and the military is so hush-hush.

To recap the code of ethics for journalism read below. Clearly it states in the section of �seek the truth and report it, it says to avoid stereotyping by sexual orientation.

Seek Truth and Report It
Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.

Journalists should:
� Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
� Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.
� Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources' reliability.
� Always question sources� motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
� Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.
� Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations.
� Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events. If re-enactment is necessary to tell a story, label it.
� Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story
� Never plagiarize.
� Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.
� Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.
� Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.
� Support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.
� Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.
� Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.
� Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.
� Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public's business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.
Minimize Harm
Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect.

Journalists should:
� Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects.
� Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief.
� Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance.
� Recognize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention. Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyone�s privacy.
� Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.
� Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes.
� Be judicious about naming criminal suspects before the formal filing of charges.
� Balance a criminal suspect�s fair trial rights with the public�s right to be informed.
Act Independently
Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public's right to know.

Journalists should:
�Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.
� Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.
� Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.
� Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
� Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable.
� Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence news coverage.
� Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; avoid bidding for news.
Be Accountable
Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other.

Journalists should:
� Clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic conduct.
� Encourage the public to voice grievances against the news media.
� Admit mistakes and correct them promptly.
� Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media.
� Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others.

http://journalism.indiana.edu/resources/ethics/invading-privacy/two-views-on-outing/
http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]