Diversity and Public Forum in Journalism (Group 9)

This presentation began with a discussion of ancient Greek public forums. Citizens would gather together, sometimes in large arenas, and talk about politics. People would bring up issues that they were concerned about, and I’ve heard before that sometimes, the winning side would be chosen by who cheered the loudest. Politicians were able to hear concerns directly from their constituents, and the voices of average citizens could be heard by everyone in their city. Public forums are much the same today. We are able to gather and voice our opinions, and hear the opinions of others. Issues can be discussed and argued over. In a public forum, everyone has the chance to speak and make their opinions heard.

                With the emersion of new technology in the past decade, the nature of public forums has changed. A person can find any issue they want to talk about online, and they can find people to discuss it with. One of the best ways people can voice their opinions to others is by commenting on blogs, articles, and Internet sites. If someone reads something that they feel strongly about or completely disagree with, they can post a comment right at the bottom of the article, and they can do it anonymously so they won’t be blamed for it. This is good and bad – people are more willing to say exactly what they think if they don’t have to disclose their name, but they also are more likely to be rude and could overstep their boundaries, because it is anonymous and no one knows who they are. I think we, as members of the Church, especially see this online when we watch a Mormon Message on YouTube or do a Google search on Mormons. Every single time I read or watch something about the Church online, there are always rude, discouraging, and attacking comments about our religion. I remember specifically reading about Brandon Davies’ dismissal from the basketball team for violating the Honor Code on Deseret News, and under the article, there were about a hundred comments. Many of them were supportive of Davies and BYU for carrying out a punishment, but many comments were just slamming BYU and the Church for kicking a kid off the team “for sex.” 

                As journalists, citizens, and especially members of the Church, we can use public forums to share our beliefs and opinions, but we must act morally. I think that we must commit to only saying things online that we would also be willing to say into a microphone in front of a crowd at a town hall meeting. We must be honest and fair in our opinions and comments, and we must respect things that other people say, even if we don’t agree with them. We can stand up for what’s right by doing our research and being educated about topics before we discuss them publicly.

Is Journalism Losing Its Place in the Boisterous Public Forum?

http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/article/101687/Is-Journalism-Losing-Its-Place-in-the-Boisterous-Public-Forum.aspx

BYU Basketball: Brandon Davies Violates Honor Code, Will Miss Rest of Season:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700114618/BYU-basketball-Brandon-Davies-violates-Honor-Code-will-miss-rest-of-season.html

The Ethics of Civic Journalism: Independence as the Guide:

http://www.poynter.org/uncategorized/2128/the-ethics-of-civic-journalism-independence-as-the-guide/

Ethics in Journalism (Group 8)

We as journalists have manner standards and ethics to adhere to. First and foremost, we must seek the truth and report it. Group 8 presented an example in class of the same news story that was presented in two different ways – one way it was delivered was very positive and simple, while the other was delivered in a negative and sarcastic tone with commentary added in. When writing the news and presenting it, we must do it as honestly and as morally as we can. If suspicious behavior is going on about a person we are talking about, we don’t have to report that – we just need to tell what the newsworthy information is that will benefit society.

            As journalists, we also must minimize harm. We talked about the Olympic athlete who died in Vancouver last year while doing a practice run on the luge. The video clip went viral online and was shown on television over and over again. I think journalists created more harm by showing that clip that was graphic and bothersome to so many people. They could have just said an athlete had died, without showing the video. Many would argue that people who are more sensitive and were so bothered by the video should not have watched it, but I feel like it was played so many times and on so many channels and Internet sites, that it was hard to get away from.

What are the Ethics of Online Journalism?

http://www.ojr.org/ojr/wiki/ethics/

Does New Media Require New Journalism Ethics?

http://www.reportr.net/2010/04/29/does-new-media-require-new-journalism-ethics/

The Ethics of Undercover Journalism:

http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/the_ethics_of_undercover_journalism.php

                 

Watchdog Journalism (Group 7)

                An interesting point that was brought up in class was whether journalists, and investigative reporters in particular, have an obligation to serve as independent monitors of power. I think that those who hold office in the government, for example, should be held in check not only by each other (checks and balances), but by their constituents – normal citizens. We have a responsibility to monitor those who we choose to represent us in the government. The press also has an obligation to citizens to discover the stories, news, and find out what the truth is. We as journalists can help citizens to monitor power. I think the problem is that most citizens don’t know where to go or what to do to “keep their representatives in check.” Most of us would probably email our local representative and maybe join a Facebook group to make our opinions known. Citizens rely on journalists because they usually have connections, know who to talk to, and would probably have a better idea of the situation through their research and investigation. I think that journalists can continue to be loyal to all who read their work by finding the truth and reporting the news.

                Group 7 presented The Daily Universe article written last year that reported thousands of dollars of spending by BYUSA members. Most students thought the “secret” spending was wrong and were angry about it. The Daily Universe advisors, staff, and students got in trouble from the university for reporting such spending. Because The Daily Universe is a lab paper and run by the university, BYU had every right to get angry. However, I also believe that some investigative reporting is beneficial. It’s good for the public (BYU students, in this case) to know the truth behind where some of their tuition money is going. But I also think investigative reporting can go too far. The first example that comes to mind is WikiLeaks. I think American citizens should not be told top secret information that the government can take of themselves. We put people in office to take care of those kinds of things. Journalists must face a fine line between investigation that will provide meaningful information for those who read their work and that will harm or lead to negative consequences. We must do what we believe to be right and honest as we investigate.

Today’s Investigative Reporters Lack Resources:

http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special01/0528bolles-stateofreporting.html

How Investigative Journalism Is Prospering in the Age of Social Media:

http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special01/0528bolles-stateofreporting.html

Investigative Reporting in the Web Era:

http://whatmatters.mckinseydigital.com/internet/investigative-reporting-in-the-web-era

Journalism as an Ideologue (Group 6)

 

                On the handout we were given in class, there is a quote by Jaap van Ginneken: “Most global media organizations are primarily geared to the interests and views of audiences in the G-7, the largest Western nations. What they consider objective and true may very well see rather subjective and questionable to audiences in many non-Western nations,” (Mind of a Journalist, pg. 63). Ginneken made the point that most of the news in the world is targeted towards large nations, while many smaller countries don’t receive news that was written for them. In class, we were put in groups and asked to choose which of the topics/events on the handout we would report on. As far as world news, my group chose to report on how oil prices are affected by the Lybian protests, and the LDS humanitarian responses to the New Zealand quake. We chose those two topics because of the relevance they have to a local audience. We were writing the news for residents of Provo, so we thought those topics would interest people here. After thinking about what Ginneken said, I think about Libya and New Zealand themselves. I’m sure there are journalists in those countries who are trying to report the news as it occurs for Libyans and New Zealanders themselves, but I wonder, to what extent? Do we as journalists have a responsibility to report the news only for our direct audience, or can we write for audiences around the world?

                In class, we also talked about whether or not our American ideologies is blocking the whole truth, or part of the truth, that we are reporting on? The example of terrorism was brought up. I think that to some extent, our vision of terrorism could be clouded. Because of 9/11 and other terrorist threats, terrorism is a very personal and relevant topic that Americans have strong opinions about. I think that sometimes, our ideologies about terrorism may affect how journalists report on the Middle East or Muslims. As budding journalists, we must learn how to leave our biases and judgments at the door when we walk into work so that we can report the news truthfully.

How Web Journalism Can Make People Seem Hateful:

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-08-16/tech/internet.journalism.politics_1_andrew-breitbart-shirley-sherrod-racist-remarks?_s=PM:TECH

Why Mainstream Media Reporters Are Beneath Contempt:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/08/why-mainstream-media-reporters-are-beneath-contempt.html

Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right: On the Actual Ideology of the American Press

http://archive.pressthink.org/2010/06/14/ideology_press_p.html