not teaching,
still THINKING …
Personal credibility is just as important as newsroom ethics because personal decisions can upend all the hard work that journalists put into their jobs every day. And those decisions are important to the audience, too.
Consider the following scenarios. As a journalist, what would you do? As a news and information consumer, how might you be affected or feel affected?
- Your publisher asks you to kill a story that would irritate the business community
- You are invited to attend a birthday party at the home of a prominent person — a longtime friend of the family — who is covered by your news organization
- You open an e-mail sent to you — but intended for someone else — that tips you off to a relationship between an intern and a co-worker
- You receive a gift basket from the parents of a child with a terminal illness, thanking you for coverage of a community fundraiser to offset medical costs
In assessing these scenarios, remember that it is important to put yourself above reproach and be responsible.
- Assess the situation. Look at each issue from the perspective of the news organization, the community and you. Are there any conflicts of interest? Any violations of company policy? Any quid pro quo? Any perceptions that your news judgment could be compromised?
- Consider the consequences. Every decision has a consequence. Be careful not to reach a conclusion prematurely before fully assessing the potential consequences. Make a list that includes all of them — for your audience, your employer and you. What is at stake? Who could be harmed? List pros and cons. Weigh them against one another. Choose the best option to maintain the news organization’s credibility and the trust of your audience.
- Take responsibility. Make your decision with conscience and be open about it. Be available to discuss it, but then move on. Do not dwell on it privately or publicly. Do not replay it or re-live it. Do not expect consensus. Whatever choices you make, move forward with dignity.
In each of these scenarios, be honest with your audience. This is always the best approach. If your audience questions the veracity of even one article because of personal integrity, then everything you do — and have done — will be questioned.
(These two profs are no longer teaching at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, but we are still thinking.)