Dan Griswold: Blog #4 – Ethics of a Critic
Because of a conflicting class, I knew that I’d be attending Inga Saffron’s appearance during the Foster-Foreman Conference, as opposed to David Finkel’s lecture. For the purposes of this blog post, that fact worried me a little because I couldn’t figure out what ethical considerations an architecture critic would have to make. Saffron made it known to me, and all assembled, what some of those are.
According to Saffron, while her opinion may be a part of her work, she still has to do her research and cover all sides in a critique. This fair approach can lead to another ethical consideration, when she might have to contact someone who she has already critiqued in the past, in order to write an article at that present time.
I certainly had preconceived notions of what newspaper critics do. Not that I thought less of them, or their work, but rather that they did things differently. It always seemed to me that their opinion was sufficient. That’s not the case, at least for Saffron, who does research for every article she writes. Saffron explains why, saying, “In order to make an argument, in order to make a case, you have to know what your opponents say, and incorporate that into what you’re writing.” This is important for journalists and media members. According to recent research, politicians don’t have the most power in shaping political messages, but rather journalists(Gerth & Siegert, 2012). Journalists have the power of words to present things fairly or unfairly, whether they mean to or not. As we learned in class, it is important to not only, not be biased, but not appear to be so. Even if Saffron was completely neutral herself, those reading her article could perceive a bias if she only presented one side of a story.
I also found interesting the fact that she would have to use, as sources, people she had critiqued in the past. I am sure that this situation isn’t exclusive to newspaper critics, but it’s something Saffron has experienced, and noted that it is not an easy thing to do. In the end, though, that is what she is paid to do. “But, you know, it’s my job, to call everyone and give everyone a chance to explain their point of view,” said Saffron, who noted that sometimes people don’t call back. But Saffron is committed to making every attempt to be fair, and have every voice heard. It reminds me of a situation John Beale has described where you are sent to interview a family who has just had a loved one die. Beale said how easy it would be to just drive around the block a few times, and then tell your editor that no one was home.
In the end, I certainly learned that there is more to newspaper critique than the writers’ opinion. But more than that, I had particular ethics reinforced. I learned how being fair and objective is such a cornerstone for the industry. I also learned that journalists really can’t let their feelings interfere in their work. Sure, it may be uncomfortable to contact someone who you critiqued in a prior article, but you can’t let that dissuade you from presenting a fair piece in the publication.
References
Gerth, M. A., & Siegert, G. (2012). Patterns of Consistence and Constriction: How News Media Frame the Coverage of Direct Democratic Campaigns. American Behavioral Scientist, 56(3), 279-299. doi:10.1177/0002764211426326