Naive to unethical journalism: Life before COMM 409
When scheduling COMM 409 last fall, I was unsure how much material this course could possibly cover. Before taking this class, I thought it was simple—don’t plagiarize. But as the final weeks of the semester come to an end, I now have an understanding that plagiarism is not the only ethical dilemma journalists come across in the media industry—there is so much more.
The case studies we analyzed in class opened my eyes to a variety of everyday ethical challenges, but there were two I found most important and interesting—conflict of interest and fabrication.
As a professional communicator, it is easy to form bonds and allegiances with the people you are working with. Journalists can face conflicts of interest on a regular basis, making this one of those most important ethical issues in the field.
When assigned to a beat, journalists can become too close with the sources and subjects they cover on a daily basis. Reporters can become emotionally invested and feel like a member of these organizations, making biased reporting easier and more appealing.
It is important for a journalist to remember that their first duty is to the public, not their friends, sources, family or colleagues. Journalists are real people with friendships and emotions, but they must remember their identity and responsibility when in the professional world.
The second ethical issue I found most interesting and important was fabrication. Before taking this course, the thought of making up news stories had never crossed my mind. While I understood the concept of plagiarism, the idea of creating fiction in the news shocked me.
Watching “Shattered Glass” was the first time I heard about Stephen Glass and his ethical mistakes at The New Republic. This case study shocked me, but opened my eyes to the pressures journalists face and the mistakes they make as a result. It showed me an unfortunate truth that journalists aren’t always the heroes.
After analyzing the Stephen Glass case study, I reflected on my time as a COMM260W student. Looking back, I now see how easy it could have bee to lie in order to write the perfect story, however this breaks the number one rule of journalism—never lie to your audience. Journalists should yearn for success and finding the perfect story, but never at the cost of one’s journalistic integrity.
COMM 409 has prepared me for future situations I know I will face later in my career. Taking this course allowed me to think about how I might handle situations of naming victims, protecting sources, under cover reporting, censoring the news and so much more. It allowed me to think like an editor, producer or field journalist and consider what I would do in very realistic situations.
I loved the book for this course—the case studies shared interesting stories, but also explained the concepts in a detailed and clear manner. The book was easy to follow, making the reading quizzes fair and straight forward.
The blogs were a great way to further my writing skills and share my ideas about controversial topics. I also enjoyed taking the time to read others’ blogs and hear their thoughts on these topics.
Overall, I have really enjoyed this course and I look forward to applying my new knowledge in future situations. Thank you for a wonderful semester!