Part One- Situation Definition:
Mark Russell, executive editor of The Commercial Appeal, came to Penn State to take part in the “Oweida Lecture in Journalism Ethics.” Russell covered a lot during the lecture, including the current state of journalism in the United States and any tips he had for students hoping to break into the field. But there were two topics in particular that stood out- the relationship between social media and journalism, and conflicts of interest.
Part Two- Analysis:
Technology and social media have been evolving exponentially over the last decade. Since 2005, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have seized significant popularity as both a means of connecting with other people and finding quick information. Journalists would learn to use these platforms to share and obtain information to-and-from the community regarding issues or events occurring in the area, country, etc. But like all things, journalists need to be careful about using social media sites in their stories. One of the main pros of a journalist using social media for their stories is people who are on-scene can give live updates of the situation. Reporters can get an instant update of the situation without having to waste time by flying to different parts of the country to cover the issue. But a con of using social media as a journalistic source is reporters cannot verify what the poster is claiming. Alagi Yorro Jallow goes further and takes a similarly negative angle in The Emerging of Global Journalism and Social Media, saying social media’s demand for transparent access “…threatens family privacy, relationship privacy, national security, and a wide range of confidential boardroom decisions.”
According to Social Media and Speed-Driven Journalism: Expectations and Practices, Angela M. Lee says “…new media technology enables and encourages speedy news production and dissemination, and the newspaper industry as a whole is becoming faster in the attempt to measure up to different intermedia and intramedia competitors, such as TV, radio, and other newspapers, in the fight for scarce audience attention and to remain relevant online.”
These two sources show that in this digital age, there is immense pressure on journalists to write stories and communicate important and meaningful information as quickly as possible. Some journalists may feel pressured to meet their deadlines, so they may use a social media post that cannot be verified in their story. Others will use social media recklessly, and will end up doing more harm than good. Russell encouraged use to use technology to our advantage to engage our readers, but also advised us to be careful about how we use it. In the future, I hope to use outlets such as Twitter and Facebook to connect with my news consumers, but I hope to use it ethically and sensibly.
The other issue brought up was conflict of interest. According to Business Dictionary, conflict of interest is defined as “a situation that has the potential to undermine the impartiality of a person because of the possibility of a clash between the person’s self-interest and professional interest or public interest.” Russell advised us to be open with both editors and readers alike about any and every conflict we may have with a news topic. He explained this would maintain trust and strengthen relationships between journalist and news consumer.
In Financial Journalism, Conflicts of Interest and Ethics: A Case Study of Hong Kong, Damian Tambini conducts a study on financial journalism in the eastern metropolis, and covers Hong Kongese financial journalists’ understanding of the concept of “social responsibility.” His study found that “If socially responsible journalism involves eschewing personal financial gain to better inform readers, this article has shown that there are significant problems in understanding and implementing basic ethical rules for socially responsible business journalism in Hong Kong.” Many of the financial journalists interviewed for the study also traded stocks openly, and seemed to be unclear of certain journalistic ethics.
Personally, I plan to build a strong and trusting relationship with my readers and editors. One of the strongest ways to do so is to communicate and be open about possible conflicts of interest. After learning about Stephen Glass, I’ve been very careful about being ethical in journalism. I can say with great confidence I will never put myself in a situation like Glass’s where I lie pathologically to my editing team and my readers, and instead will build a strong relationship founded on trust.
Part Three- Conclusion:
I am so thankful Mark Russell came to Penn State to give his lecture on Journalism Ethics. Going into the lecture, I didn’t know what to expect. While I was excited to learn more about the journalism field, I was also worried if the lecture would be “boring” and “full of information I already knew.” But after leaving the lecture hall on Tuesday evening, I felt fulfilled and determined knowing an editor for a well known publication came with the sole purpose of inspiring young journalists.
While many young journalists believe the key to success is producing a “killer article with a unique and informative angle,” I learned the best key is to build a strong relationship with your audience. This can be done by being open and honest with them and using technology wisely to connect with readers. While President Trump and his administration have ushered in an era of media distrust, I believe we can make a difference and rebuild what was lost by following these key concepts.
Part Four- Works Cited:
conflict of interest. BusinessDictionary.com. Retrieved March 17, 2018, from BusinessDictionary.com website: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/conflict-of-interest.html
Jallow, A. Y. (2015). The emerging of global journalism and social media. Global Media Journal, 13(25), 1-10. Retrieved from http://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/docview/1764687096?accountid=13158
Journal of Mass Media Ethics. Financial Journalism, Conflicts of Interest and Ethics: A Case Study of Hong Kong. Vol. 28, Jan. 2013, pp. 15–29. Communication & Mass Media CompleteTM.
Lee, Angela M. “Social Media and Speed-Driven Journalism: Expectations and Practices.” JMM: The International Journal on Media Management, vol. 17, no. 4, Oct. 2015, pp. 217–239. Communication & Mass Media CompleteTM, EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/14241277.2015.1107566. Accessed 23 Mar. 2018.