The reputation of Stephen Glass is one many current and aspiring journalists are well-aware of. Glass, a former graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, became widely known for “cooking” stories during his tenure with The New Republic magazine. His fabrications were so comprehensive and enriched in detail, that it led some to speculate and investigate his publications. Glass dug himself a hole by violating the code of ethics that comes with being a journalist. Two ethical issues that stood out the most from Glass’ misbehavior was his willingness to create these fantasies to entertain the public and to have others support him despite knowing they were lies. His attempt to cover his falsified facts, dishonesty with his editors, and distrust from his co-workers led him to a defamed reputation and his pink slip out of the writing industry.
Stephen Glass was a unique storyteller. As displayed in the movie Shattered Glass it was evident he gained some much support and recognition because his stories have that different edge factor that could reel in an audience’s attention. This was mainly because readers and staff were unaware that the publications were fabricated. Chuck Lane, Glass’ former editor, explained how inspiring Glass’ pieces were. “He had this kind of really engaging way of pitching these stories and everybody looked forward to hearing what he would come up with next because they were always so colorful. Steve had some kind of gift or blessing that put him in the middle of life that was more interesting than anyone else’s.” (NPR, 2003). Glass gained a lot of groundwork which led to a great audience and success.
Being a journalist can be a demanding and stressful job. During the time Glass was working for The New Republic he was also juggling a lot of work from his school studies as a lawyer. I believe that a huge factor of Glass’ fabricating stories was to stay consistent in readership and build the respect he gained from his colleagues. In an interview during 60 minutes Glass provided insight as to what influenced him to produce such stories. “I loved the electricity of people liking my stories. I loved going to story conference meetings and telling people what my story was going to be, and seeing the room excited. I wanted every story to be a home run” (CBS, 2003). It’s clear that praise seemed to be the driving factor behind his compulsion to fabricate.
The civic duty of a journalist is to keep audiences and readers informed. To be as authentic and honest of a writer as you possibly can, lands you the most respect in the world of writing. It also allows you to gain a loyal audience and great viewership because your consistency in producing informative and reliable material makes you dependable. Fabrication is something that has been prevalent in the 21st century and there have been other cases similar to Glass’ in recent years. For example: Jayson Blair was a former reporter at the New York Times that admitted to plagiarizing dozens of stories and fabricating details for a newspaper by many to be one of the best in the business (Wong, 2014). Although fabrication can expand imaginations and make for an interesting tale, it’s going to led to failure. If you cannot produce material that is worthy of trust, then you’ve lost credibility and the ability to create stickiness with audiences which often leads to the demise of your career, like Glass and Blair.
Another ethical issue that draws much attention in Stephen Glass’ case was his constant pleas for support when he was scrutinized. Glass was aware of what his actions were, yet he continued to lie about his details, sources, and facts as well as make a mockery of those he worked close with. His colleague explained to NPR how Glass asked for support despite knowing what he’d done. “He denied it and then fessed up to having his brother pretend to be a person in the Hack Heaven story to buy time to find the real source’s contact. He called me late one night telling me how he felt attacked and that as his editor I was supposed to back him up” (NPR, 2003). It must have been difficult to look his colleague in the eye and admit his wrongdoings; however, Glass owed it to his co-workers and his career to come forthright with the truth.
It’s difficult to handle the pressures that come with being a journalist. Making deadlines, checking facts, listing sources, editing, and proposing ideas for stories of interest can be strenuous. However, as CEO Jerry Franklin put it we must cower in the face of pressure and hostility. Truths do matter and democracy depends on us (Franklin, 2017). Stephen Glass had multiple opportunities to confess what he did, but he chose to run with his fabrications which lost his credibility as writer, lost his credibility with his readers and colleagues, and ultimately cost him his job. As journalist you need to act with moral and ethical values to ensure your duty in keeping the public informed about legitimate crises, issues, and events.
Sources:
(2003, Nov 17). Interview. Journalist Charles Lane talks about Stephen Glass and his career at The New Republic which has been made into a movie. Fresh Air [NPR} (USA). Retrieved from http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/15751ADAA250B2D0?p=AWNB
Leung, Rebecca. (2003, May 7). Interview. Stephen Glass: I Lied for Esteem. CBS. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/stephen-glass-i-lied-for-esteem-07-05-2003/
Wong Toronto Star, T. (2014, May 5). Jayson Blair’s dizzying fall from grace – PBS documentary delves into New York Times plagiarism scandal, impact on journalism. Toronto Star, The (Ontario, Canada), p. E4.. Retrieved from http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/14D9EC5CE84718A0?p=AWNB
(2017, Feb 5). Journalist show determination to call out lies. Corpus Christi Caller-Times (TX), p. A17.. Retrieved from http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/1625C03BE6AA3D3?p=AWNB