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Media Ethics, Part 2Media Ethics, Part 2

How professional codes How professional codes guide journalists’ guide journalists’ behaviorbehavior

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Schedule UpdateSchedule Update

Today: Ethics, Part 2Today: Ethics, Part 2 Friday: Guest speakerFriday: Guest speaker

– Ted Warren, The Associated PressTed Warren, The Associated Press– Photojournalism in the digital eraPhotojournalism in the digital era

Next week: Media LawNext week: Media Law

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Calculating your gradeCalculating your grade

3 exams @ 100 = 3003 exams @ 100 = 300 1 paper @ 30 = 301 paper @ 30 = 30 Clicker quizzes: 20 @ 10 = 40Clicker quizzes: 20 @ 10 = 40 Total points so far:Total points so far: 340340

Still to come: 1 paper, 1 exam, extra creditStill to come: 1 paper, 1 exam, extra credit

Total points for semester: 500Total points for semester: 500

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Student Course EvaluationsStudent Course Evaluations

On-line at: On-line at: http://www.webs.uidaho.edu/studentevals/

Please be constructive, specific in Please be constructive, specific in responses to open-ended questionsresponses to open-ended questions

Surveys are anonymous, confidentialSurveys are anonymous, confidential Last day to participate: Sunday, Dec. 12Last day to participate: Sunday, Dec. 12

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Clicker Quiz #1Clicker Quiz #1

Which philosopher advocated the Golden Which philosopher advocated the Golden Mean, which suggests moderation Mean, which suggests moderation between extremes?between extremes?

a) Socratesa) Socrates

b) Sophoclesb) Sophocles

c) Platoc) Plato

d) Aristotled) Aristotle

e) Thucydidese) Thucydides

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Clicker Quiz #1Clicker Quiz #1

Which philosopher advocated the Golden Which philosopher advocated the Golden Mean, which suggests moderation Mean, which suggests moderation between extremes?between extremes?

d) Aristotled) Aristotle

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Ethics: EnforcementEthics: Enforcement

Journalists aren’t licensed, so face no Journalists aren’t licensed, so face no formal sanctions for unethical actsformal sanctions for unethical acts

Many groups have ethics codes, but Many groups have ethics codes, but lack enforcement powerlack enforcement power

Peer pressure, public embarrassment Peer pressure, public embarrassment are only consequences for violationsare only consequences for violations

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Professional CodesProfessional Codes

Radio-TV News Directors AssociationRadio-TV News Directors Association American Advertising FederationAmerican Advertising Federation Society of Professional JournalistsSociety of Professional Journalists Public Relations Society of AmericaPublic Relations Society of America

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Code of EthicsCode of Ethics

Public Relations Society of AmericaPublic Relations Society of America Act as responsible advocatesAct as responsible advocates Provide a voice in Provide a voice in marketplace of ideasmarketplace of ideas Adhere to highest standards of accuracy, Adhere to highest standards of accuracy,

truthtruth

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SPJ Code of EthicsSPJ Code of Ethics

Society of Professional JournalistsSociety of Professional Journalists Seek truth and report itSeek truth and report it Minimize harmMinimize harm Act independentlyAct independently Be accountableBe accountable

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Common ethical violationsCommon ethical violations

SensationalismSensationalism Conflict of interestConflict of interest FakeryFakery PlagiarismPlagiarism

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FakeryFakery

1992: Dateline NBC1992: Dateline NBC– Report on safety of Chevrolet trucksReport on safety of Chevrolet trucks

Claim: side-mounted fuel tanks prone to Claim: side-mounted fuel tanks prone to explode in collisionexplode in collision

NBC rigged gas tanks with ignitersNBC rigged gas tanks with igniters Video showed fuel spill, flames Video showed fuel spill, flames

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1992: NBC1992: NBC

VIDEO: VIDEO: When Good Journalists Do Bad When Good Journalists Do Bad Things: Truthtelling & the Public TrustThings: Truthtelling & the Public Trust

Poynter Institute: Poynter Institute: www.poynter.org

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1992: NBC1992: NBC

GM filed lawsuit; lawyers negotiatedGM filed lawsuit; lawyers negotiated NBC retracted story, apologizedNBC retracted story, apologized NBC News President Michael NBC News President Michael

Gartner resignedGartner resigned GM used PR strategy for crisis GM used PR strategy for crisis

managementmanagement

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PlagiarismPlagiarism

The act of taking ideas, thoughts The act of taking ideas, thoughts or words from another and or words from another and passing them off as your ownpassing them off as your own

Closely related to Closely related to fabricationfabrication (making up stories, facts, quotes)(making up stories, facts, quotes)

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Plagiarism: Case studiesPlagiarism: Case studies

1981: Janet Cooke1981: Janet Cooke 1998: Stephen Glass1998: Stephen Glass 2003: Jayson Blair2003: Jayson Blair

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Janet CookeJanet Cooke

Washington Post, 1981Washington Post, 1981 ‘‘Jimmy’s World’Jimmy’s World’ 8-year-old heroin 8-year-old heroin

addictaddict Illustrated urban drug Illustrated urban drug

problems in D.C.problems in D.C. Cooke won PulitzerCooke won Pulitzer

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Janet CookeJanet Cooke

Problems Problems with ‘Jimmy’s with ‘Jimmy’s World’:World’:

Jimmy didn’t existJimmy didn’t exist Story couldn’t be Story couldn’t be

verifiedverified Post returned PulitzerPost returned Pulitzer Cooke resignedCooke resigned

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Stephen GlassStephen Glass

Writer for Writer for The New The New RepublicRepublic

Fabricated dozens of Fabricated dozens of stories, 1997-1998stories, 1997-1998

Subject of movie Subject of movie (2003): (2003): Shattered Shattered GlassGlass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA4N9ex56jA

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Jayson BlairJayson Blair

New York TimesNew York Times Fabricated storiesFabricated stories

– Cut and pasted from Cut and pasted from other newspapers’ other newspapers’ Web sitesWeb sites

– Made up sources & Made up sources & descriptionsdescriptions

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Jayson BlairJayson Blair

Resigned May, 2003Resigned May, 2003 Blamed Blamed TimesTimes editors editors Interview with Katie Interview with Katie

Couric, 2004Couric, 2004 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/211

34540/vp/4455995#4455995

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Fallout from Blair AffairFallout from Blair Affair

2 top editors 2 top editors resignedresigned

Times appointed Times appointed ombudsmanombudsman to to improve credibilityimprove credibility

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Holding the media accountableHolding the media accountable

1.1. Ombudsmen (or women)Ombudsmen (or women)

2.2. Journalism reviewsJournalism reviews

3.3. Watchdog groupsWatchdog groups

4.4. News councilsNews councils

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OmbudsmanOmbudsman

Staff member Staff member assigned to hear, assigned to hear, respond to audience respond to audience complaintscomplaints

Original purpose: Original purpose: government position government position in Swedenin Sweden

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OmbudsmanOmbudsman

Also known as:Also known as: Ombuds officerOmbuds officer Reader representativeReader representative Reader advocateReader advocate Public editor (Public editor (New York TimesNew York Times))

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www.newsombudsmen.orgwww.newsombudsmen.org

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Journalism reviewsJournalism reviews

Columbia Journalism Columbia Journalism Review (CJR)Review (CJR)

American Journalism American Journalism Review (AJR)Review (AJR)

Quill (published by Quill (published by SPJ)SPJ)

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Watchdog groupsWatchdog groups

Founded in 1986 by Jeff CohenFounded in 1986 by Jeff Cohen Believes corporate media has Believes corporate media has

conservative biasconservative bias Monthly magazine: Monthly magazine: Extra!Extra!

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Watchdog groupsWatchdog groups

Media Research CenterMedia Research Center Conservative group Conservative group

founded by Brent founded by Brent Bozell, 1987Bozell, 1987

Believes media have Believes media have liberal biasliberal bias

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NewsNews Councils Councils City or state groupsCity or state groups Public & media Public & media

membersmembers Review complaints Review complaints

& issue reports& issue reports No enforcement No enforcement

powers except powers except public opinionpublic opinion

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News CouncilsNews Councils

Mission:Mission: To help maintain public trust To help maintain public trust and confidence in the news media … and confidence in the news media … by creating a forum where the public by creating a forum where the public and the news media can engage each and the news media can engage each other in examining standards of other in examining standards of journalistic fairness.journalistic fairness. www.wanewscouncil.orgwww.wanewscouncil.org

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Clicker Quiz #2Clicker Quiz #2

Which of the SPJ ethical standards Which of the SPJ ethical standards did NBC violate with the Dateline did NBC violate with the Dateline report?report?

a.a. Seek truth and report itSeek truth and report it

b.b. Minimize harmMinimize harm

c.c. Act independentlyAct independently

d.d. Be accountableBe accountable