Mitchell slides for ejc indo v2 lk
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Transcript of Mitchell slides for ejc indo v2 lk
Journalism’s Values in the Digital Age
August 26, 2013Bill Mitchell, Poynter NewsU
Today’s Agenda1. Discussion of journalism values,
guiding principles2. Ethical decision-making as a
process3. News ethics in Southeast Asia4. Diversity as a value & a process5. Discussion of your assignments,
projects6. Your questions & suggestions
Housekeeping notes1. NewsU: Slides @ Slideshare.net2. NewsU: Session replay @ NewsU3. NewsU: Assignments4. All of you: Pen, paper, brief
writing5. All of you: Engagement6. All of you: Indonesian context7. All of you: Help w/ our
pronunciation
Why this session matters to you, personally
• Please give some thought to how you’ll complete the following two sentences (we’ll return to this at the end of the session today):
1. I stand for journalism that…2. As a journalist, I do my best to…
Why journalism values matter• Links directly to your own,
personal journalistic purpose• Improves the quality of your
journalism• Gives you a competitive edge• Makes your journalism work
more fun, less stressful
Ethical guiding principles (original three from Bob Steele):
1. Seek truth & report it as fully as possible
2. Act independently3. Minimize harm
Ethical guiding principles (new list by McBride, Rosenstiel):
• #1 Stays the same: Seek truth & report it as fully as possible
• Act independently is enlarged to Be transparent
• Minimize harm is enlarged to Engage community as an end, rather than as a means
Seek truth & report it as fully as possible:
• Be vigorous in your pursuit of accuracy
• Be honest, fair & courageous• Give voice to the voiceless• Hold the powerful accountable• Be accountable yourself
Be transparent
• Show how reporting was done & why people should believe it
• Be clear about your journalistic approach, e.g., independent inquiry or a particular point of view?
• Acknowledge & correct mistakes – and do so prominently!
Engage community as an end rather than as a means• Understand community needs• Transform journalism into
community dialog• Seek out competing perspectives• Seek publishing alternatives that
minimize harm
Why clarity about what you stand for matters so much
• What you stand for is the contract you make with three key stakeholders:• Your audiences• Your employers• Your sources
1 reason why clarity about what you stand for matters so much…
Similar but older (1972) example…
Ethical decision-making process
1. State your goal2. Articulate your journalistic
purpose3. Specify journalistic principles at
stake4. Identify principles that collide5. Identify stakeholders
Ethical decision-making process, continued
6. Describe at least 3 alternative approaches
7. Decide which approach you’ll take
8. Defend your approach in writing, including description of conflicting principles and options you considered
Using these three principles to assess two cases
• Role of truth-telling, transparency & community in:
1. Coverage of the mistress & son of the Argentine presidential candidate
2. Coverage of claims by Peruvian woman that a presidential candidate was the father of her daughter
Context for these principles for Indonesian journalists:
Context for these principles for Indonesian journalists, continued:
• Corruption (covered by journalists)
• Envelope journalism (corruption of journalists)
• Implications of fitnah for journalists
• Your examples…
Recent stories with ethical dimensions…
Recent stories with ethical dimensions, continued…
Diversity as a value & a process• Links directly to your own
purpose• Improves the quality of your
journalism• Gives you a competitive edge• Makes work more fun, less
stressful
How diversity fits with journalism’s guiding principles
• Report the truth as fully as possible
• Be transparent• Engage community as an end
rather than a means
Black, white: Looting vs. finding
Diversity issues in Indonesia
Diversity issues in Indonesia, continued
Why journalism values matter
to you, personally• We told you we’d return to this at
the end of the session! We hope some of you will share your version of #1 and/or #2 in the Chat Box below:
1. I stand for journalism that…2. As a journalist, I do my best to…
Additional resources NewsU webinar with Kelly McBride: http://www.newsu.org/new-ethics
Snopes discussion of looting vs. finding:http://www.snopes.com/katrina/photos/looters.asp
Questions, comments, suggestions?
Bill Mitchell, Poynter [email protected]@bmitch on Twitter
Lauren [email protected]@laurenklinger on Twitter
Thank YouRemember to visit Poynter’s NewsUwww.newsu.org
Journalism Training. Anytime. Anywhere. For Anybody.