HACKING THE CODESTAKING PERSONAL ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITYIN THE NEW MEDIA AGE

Presentation and Workshop

Excellence in Journalism Conference

Nashville, TN Sept. 5, 2014

ALAN D. ABBEY & TOM KENT

100 YEARS

AGO

NO BYLINES

NOWADAYS

BYLINES

ABOVE THE

HEADLINES

It used to be…that “things you do to make a name for yourself” were synonymous  with “bullshit,” and most journalists conformed to the style and standards of their employers. Now,

personal branding is a venerated skill of “Journalism 2.0….”

ANN FRIEDMAN / CJR

PERSONAL

CREDIBILIT

Y IS

ESSENTIAL

Community members were deeply skeptical of nearly everything they saw, and felt empowered to ask tough questions back to reporters. Most

reported that in moments of crisis they relied on existing relationships with people or news organizations they already knew and trusted.

JOSH STEARNS

In the US, more than half those surveyed said it was the individual reporter they trusted…individuals may offer more credibility than institutions.

RICHARD SAMBROOK / Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism

ETHICAL

PRACTICES

BUILD

CREDIBILIT

Y

Ethical journalism promotes the news organization’s credibility and thus its acceptance by the public.

GENE FOREMAN

TODAY,

PERSONAL

ETHICS

CODES ARE

NEEDED

Our profession is encompassing ever more people and philosophies. With so many definitions these days of “who’s a

journalist,”…no single ethics code can establish an extensive list of rules for our widely varied profession.  

TOM KENT / Associated Press / ONA D-I-Y Ethics Project

VERY FEW

MEDIA OR

JOURNALIST

S HAVE

THEM

Here is a statement of my ethics and coverage policies. It is more than most of you want to know, but, in the age of suspicion of the media, I am laying it all out.

I am not an objective news reporter….I am a subjective opinion columnist…. I don’t accept any money, free products, or anything else of value…

I do occasionally take a free t-shirt from these companies, but my wife hates it when I wear them, as she considers them ugly.

WHAT

SHOULD

THEY

INCLUDE?

Within the whirlwind, journalists need to hold on tight to accuracy, intellectual honesty, rigorous reporting and fairness — values that can never go out of style. MARGARET SULLIVAN / The New York Times

AFTER

THAT,

THERE IS

LITTLE

CONSENSU

S

Some, for instance, have no problem with writing from a certain political point of view….Others favor the traditional principles of objectivity and neutrality….

TOM KENT / Associated Press / ONA D-I-Y Ethics Project 

STEP ONE –

JOURNALIST

: KNOW

THYSELF

It’s more important than ever for journalists to be clear about who they are and what they stand for.  TOM KENT / Associated Press / ONA D-I-Y Ethics Project

 

WHAT KIND

ARE YOU?

TAKE THE

TEST

http://goo.gl/WPZ3gd

STEP TWO –

HOW

ETHICAL

ARE YOU?

There are ethical principles which are so important that

they should be followed by all journalists,

regardless of situation and context.

What is ethical in journalism varies from one situation to another.Ethical dilemmas in news coverage are often so complex that journalists should be allowed to formulate their own individual codes of conduct.

Journalists should avoid questionable methods of reporting in any case, even if this means not getting the story.Reporting and publishing a story that can potentially harm others is always wrong, irrespective of the benefits to be gained.

There are situations in which harm is justifiable if it results in a story that produces a greater good.  

 

DO YOU

AGREE WITH

THESE

STATEMENTS

?

A journalist should never vote. A journalist should never belong to organizations active in the public sphere, such as an environmental group or an advocacy organization.

A journalist may belong to an advocacy organization but not in leadership, such as a board member.

A journalist should disclose his or her personal beliefs in a way that readers would be able to access the information.

A journalist should not own any stocks or make investments in companies that s/he covers as a business writer.

A journalist should disclose personal connections to any organizations s/he writes about.A journalist should not write about any organization s/he belongs to.

A journalist can report fairly on a subject if s/he has strong personal beliefs on the subject being covered.

It is possible for a journalist to be objective. "Objectivity" is an outdated concept.

 

WOULD YOU

DO THESE

THINGS?

Pay people for confidential information.Use confidential business or government documents without authorization.Claim to be somebody else.

Exert pressure on unwilling informants to get a story.Use personal documents such as letters and pictures without permission.Get employed in a firm or organization to gain inside information.

Use hidden microphones or cameras.Use re-creations or dramatizations of news by actors.Publish stories with unverified content.Accept money from sources.

Alter or fabricate quotes from sources.Alter photographs.

Accept free or reduced travel, lodging, or meals in order to report a story outside of your regular location.Have a source purchase your meal at a restaurant.

Accept products in exchange for writing a review.

 

WHAT DO

YOU

BELIEVE?

I make claims only if they are substantiated by hard evidence and reliable sources.

I do not allow my own beliefs and convictions to influence my reporting.I remain strictly impartial in

my work.I always stay away from information that cannot be verified.I think that facts speak for themselves.I think that journalists can depict reality as it is.

I always make clear which side in a dispute has the

better position. 

 

 

STEP 3 –

LEARN

ABOUT IT

FROM ONA

The “Build Your Own Ethics Code” initiative…recognizes that no single ethics code can establish an extensive list of rules for our widely varied profession. Therefore, after laying out some fundamentals

that should apply to all journalists, we offer a set of  specific “building blocks” to let any journalist create an ethics code that is thorough and transparent….

In addition to listing issues, we hope to include in these building

blocks arguments on both sides of these issues, to help journalists decide what positions they want to take on each one.

TOM KENT / Associated Press / ONA D-I-Y Ethics Project

 

ONLINE NEWS ASSOCIATION

MAKE YOUR OWN ETHICS CODEbit.ly/onacrowdsourcing

FUNDAMENTAL

PRINCIPLES

 

OBJECTIVE OR

POINT-OF-

VIEW?

 

40 SPECIFIC

AREAS

 

THE ONA PROJECT IS OPEN TO

CROWDSOURCING AND

COMMENTS

bit.ly/onacrowdsourcing 

email

onaethics@gmail.com

THE FOUR

TYPES OF

JOURNALIST

S

• OPPORTUNIST FACILITATOR

• CRITICAL CHANGE AGENT

• DETACHED WATCHDOG

• POPULIST DISSEMINATOR

Strongest orientation to the audience. Wants widest

possible readership.

Gives readers “what they

want.”

Takes a skeptical and

critical attitude toward

government and business

elites.

Sees journalism as partner of

government in the process of

economic development and political

transformation.

Stresses the importance of

advocating social change,

influencing public opinion and setting the

political agenda.

WHERE

YOU ARE

MAY

DETERMINE

WHO YOU

ARE

HOW YOU

MATCH UP

WITH THE

USA AND

THE

WORLD

JOURNALISM CULTURESROLE EIJ WOJ USA

Provide analysis of events and issues in my work 3.94

4.14

Provide citizens with information to make political decisions

4.38

4.58

Act as a watchdog of business elites 3.44

3.98

Act as a watchdog of the government 4.04

4.39

Influence public opinion 3.18

2.41

Advocate for social change 3.38

2.50

Motivate people to participate in political activity 3.79

3.46

Support official policies to bring about prosperity and development

2.80

1.74

Convey a positive image of political and business leadership

1.97

1.38

Concentrate on news that will attract the widest possible audience

3.36

3.05

Set the political agenda 2.91

2.07

Provide the audience with the information that is most interesting

3.79

3.52

Be an absolutely detached observer 4.24

4.22