PERSPECTIVES ON JOURNALISM ETHICS JRNL 6202 SUMMER II 2015

• Instructor: Bill Mitchell • 27 July 2015 | Northeastern Univ.

PERSPECTIVES ON JOURNALISM ETHICS JRNL 6202 SUMMER II 2015

• Instructor: Bill Mitchell• Bmitch (at) gmail dot com• 727-641-9407• 27 July 2015 | Northeastern Univ.

WHAT WE’LL DO TONIGHT• Correct that Error: Quick example from today’s Globe

• Oral Presentation by Emily on Hashtags

• Discussion of your ethics guidelines

• Discussion of your final paper

• Review of assigned readings

• Shattered Glass

• 10 minute break (at about 7:30 p.m.)

• Upcoming assignments, etc.

CLASS PARTICIPATION & ITS RELEVANCE TO ETHICAL

DECISION-MAKING• If you’re not inclined to speak up, consider doing so

• If you speak up a lot, consider encouraging others

• Do your best to stay on point

• Try to make your point briefly

CORRECT THAT ERROR

JUST AS IMPORTANT: THE MARGIN OF ERROR

MY EMAIL TO THE REPORTER

THE REPORTER’S RESPONSE

THE CORRECTION:

EMILY ON THE POWER OF HASHTAGS

REFINING YOUR PERSONAL ETHICS GUIDELINES• THE WHAT: What do you stand for as a journalist?

• MORE WHAT: What values/principles do you uphold?

• THE WHY: Why do you hold those values/principles?

• THE WHO: Whose theory(ies) underpin your ethics?

• THE HOW: How will you do that? (process you’ll follow)

A RESOURCE: PRINCIPLES SUGGESTED BY ONLINE NEWS ASSOCIATION FOR DIY ETHICS

• Tell the truth

• Don’t plagiarize

• Don’t take money

• Be responsible to the public

• Correct your errors

ONA: MAKE A BASIC CHOICE

• Are you an independent, impartial journalist?

• Or a journalist with a particular point of view?

• Decide and be transparent about your choice

AMONG ONA’S 40 QUESTIONS:

• Will you consider removing mistaken reports?

• Under what circumstances will you quote hate speech?

• What will guide editing of your photos?

• How will you approach coverage of suicides?

• How will you conduct yourself on social networks?

SNAPSHOT OF FINAL PAPER DUE 7 A.M. FRIDAY 31 JULY

• Describe a dimension of media ethics that needs work

• Describe the research you’ll do in support of your thesis

• Explain how this reform or rethinking fits with your personal ethics guidelines

• See discussion of Final Paper in syllabus: bit.ly/SummerEthis

• This is an outline aimed at feedback, not the paper itself

REVIEW OF READINGS:FORMS OF PLAGIARISM

• Appropriation plagiarism

• Research plagiarism

• Idea plagiarism

• Self plagiarism

DETECTION CHALLENGES WITH PLAGIARISM & FABRICATION

• How detect plagiarism?

• How detect fabrication?

COMMON EXCUSES FOR PLAGIARISM & FABRICATION

• So much pressure, plagiarism as the only way out

• No one will ever know

• Deceit in service of greater truth

LESSONS LEARNED FROM CELEBRATED CASES

OF PLAGIARISM, FABRICATION

• Readers often reluctant to speak up

• Power of a big dog in the newsroom

• Editors (and other reporters) reluctant to go out on a limb

NYT’S JAYSON BLAIR ON THE NUTS & BOLTS OF

PLAGIARISM & FABRICATION

BLAIR GRILLED BY KATIE COURIC

THE REPORTER BLAIR STOLE FROM: MACARENA HERNANDEZ

THE GUY IN CHARGE : PUBLISHER ARTHUR SULZBERGER

WHAT FAKED JOURNALISM FEELS LIKE FROM THE INSIDE

HOW TO GUARD AGAINST WHAT GLASS DID?

Hanna Rosin tracks down Glass 16 years later:

http://bit.ly/RosinonGlass

HELLO, MY NAME IS STEPHEN GLASS AND I’M SORRY

ASSIGNMENTS: • For all assignments, see bit.ly/EthicsAssignments• Reading: Chapters 11 & 18 in Foreman book• By 7 a.m. Friday 31 July: Snapshot of your final paper (final

version due 7 a.m. Friday Aug. 21)• By 7 a.m. Sunday 2 August: A post to your blog• By 3 p.m. Monday 3 August: A comment about a classmate’s

post• By 7 a.m. Friday 7 August: Final version of your personal

ethics guidelines

ETHICS CODES AS DECISION-MAKING TOOLS

• An argument against ethics codes?

• An argument in favor?

• 4 Guiding Principles of Society of Professional Journalists?

DRILLING DOWN ON THE PRINCIPLES: SEEK TRUTH & REPORT IT

• Confirming names, ages, dates, every line in story

• Can you spell your name for me, please?

• And what’s your date of birth?

• Develop your own accuracy-checker system!

• Presenting sources to your audience

• With names if possible

• With as much description as possible

• With background on their motives as relevant

DRILLING DOWN ON THE PRINCIPLES: SEEK TRUTH & REPORT IT, CONT.

• Be clear with audience about what you’re providing them

• News?

• Analysis?

• Opinion?

• Maintaining the integrity of the marketing tools of news

• Headlines

• Teases

• Blurbs

TRENDS IN TRUTH-TELLING• Greater documentation, making source documents available

• More challenges to anonymous sources

http://publiceditor.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/29/anonywatch-department-of-ridiculous-reasons/

DRILLING DOWN ON THE PRINCIPLES: MINIMIZE HARM

• Show compassion for stakeholders affected by news coverage

• Stakeholders in this story?

TRENDS IN MINIMIZING HARM• The “foreverness” of digital content

• To what extent should we have the right to “forgetability?”

http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/280000-people-have-asked-google-to-honor-their-right-to-be-forgotten/

DRILLING DOWN ON THE PRINCIPLES: ACT INDEPENDENTLY

• Independent from what?

• Apart from loyalty to audience, any other loyalties you want to retain?

TRENDS IN ACTING INDEPENDENTLY• More paragraphs beginning… “Full disclosure:

• More content provided by brands

• Relevance of independence in that context?

http://buzzmachine.com/

http://paidpost.nytimes.com/netflix/women-inmates-separate-but-not-equal.html?_r=0

DRILLING DOWN ON THE PRINCIPLES: BE ACCOUNTABLE

• Accountable about what?

• What should journalists NOT be accountable about?

• Advantages of making the case for each in personal guidelines

• Accountable to whom?

DRILLING DOWN ON THE PRINCIPLES: BE ACCOUNTABLE

http://inquirer.philly.com/blackhawk/video_dodraid.asp

TRENDS IN ACCOUNTABILITY• Anticipating audience questions, challenges, objections

• Incorporating audience contributions

• Recognizing corrections as ways of advancing the story

https://mattgaryingersoll.wordpress.com/2015/07/15/should-news-organizations-publish-manifestos-from-mass-shooters-and-domestic-terrorists/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xDCCPHsilY

TEN MINUTE BREAK

THIS WEEK IN ETHICS

THIS WEEK IN ETHICS, CONT.

After watching and listening to Donald Trump since he announced his candidacy for president, we have decided we won't report on Trump's campaign as part of The Huffington Post's political coverage. Instead, we will cover his campaign as part of our Entertainment section. Our reason is simple: Trump's campaign is a sideshow. We won't take the bait. If you are interested in what The Donald has to say, you'll find it next to our stories on the Kardashians and The Bachelorette.

THIS WEEK IN ETHICS, CONT.

THREE MAIN STEPS TO A GOOD DECISION

• Collect the information

• Analyze the information

• Make a choice and defend it

THREE MAIN STEPS TO A GOOD DECISION (IN DETAIL)• Collect the information

• What do I Know? What do I need to know?

• What is my journalistic purpose?

• What are my ethical concerns?

THREE MAIN STEPS TO A GOOD DECISION (IN DETAIL)• Analyze the information

• What policies/rules should I consider?

• How can I include other people with different views?

• Who are the stakeholders?

• What are possible consequences of my actions?

• What are at least 3 options in balancing truth-telling and minimizing harm?

THREE MAIN STEPS TO A GOOD DECISION (IN DETAIL)• Make a choice and defend it

• The front-page test: How would this read as a story?

• The Mom test: What would she say about this?

• The jury test: Could you persuade 12 peers?

WORK A CASE WITH FOREMAN’S 3 STEPS

• Teams of three

• Pick a case that’s tough, i.e. you’re not sure how you’d decide… Possibilities:

• Reporting a Fact, Causing Harm (p. 98)

• A 4 year-old’s Visit to Death Row (p. 204)

• A believable hypothetical