Ashley Burningham
Reference:
Schminke, M. (2009). EDITOR'S COMMENTS: THE BETTER ANGELS OF OUR NATURE--ETHICS AND INTEGRITY IN THE PUBLISHING PROCESS. Academy Of Management Review, 34(4), 586-591. doi:10.5465/AMR.2009.44882922
Theme:
While there are clear ethical standards for journalists, they aren't formally audited and many of them are unethical.
Summary:
- Journalism isn't monitored by a formal auditing process.
- Work depends on foundation of individual professionalism and responsibility.
- Ethics = fairness
- Reporters use "I didn't know" excuse.
- Some reporters have a formal review that evaluates theorizing, analysis, and conclusions, but it isn't common.
- Some journalists are unaware of ethical standards.
- Academy of Management Code of Ethics identifies both general principles and specific standards.
- Three principles: 1. responsibility 2. Integrity 3. Respect for people's rights and dignity
- Includes human relations, privacy, public statements, research and publication, and ascribing to the code of ethics
- No plagiarism
- Not all journalists are ethical.
- Submit papers similar to old rejected ones
- Serendipity in identifying problematic discovery
- Regular for experienced authors to violate
- Most ethical violations are intentional.
- Plausible deniability= ignorant/innocent
- Wide variety of unethical actions
Application to Lesson Topic:
The lesson this week had to do with ethical components of media coverage. This article discusses the ethical standards for journalists and describes possible excuses for unethical actions by journalists. It also notes that many experiences journalists intentionally practice unethically.
Application to Emergency Services:
It is important to understand the entire picture revolved around journalism. It is important to understand that not all journalists are intentionally unethical. While journalists can make the job of emergency responders more difficult, it is important to understand that they are only doing their job. We should strive to have a rapport with journalists to avoid unnecessary and unwanted media attention.
I am not sure that building rapport is a great thing. I cannot for certain say that it is bad, but it seems that if you are chummy with a journalist, you may end up saying things which you don't want published. Anything you say can be used in a report, and it is often taken out of context to fit what the journalist is writing about.
ReplyDeleteI think building a relationship is different than building rapport. You don't have to be friends to have respect for each other. It seems to me that you should know each other. And from past experience trust each other. When I say as a PIO that I will get the information as soon as I can, the reporter should know that will happen. When the reporter says, I won't run anything until you say I can, he shoould do that. Often, however, there are other people tellinng the PIO and reporter what to do and that complicates things. If the editor says, "Run it," what alternative does the reporter have?
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