Over the course of this fall semester, I have learned a number of ethical lessons while taking C409 that are very applicable to not only the world of journalism and media, but my everyday life. This course has taught me a tremendous amount about what the true meaning of “ethics” is and the practices that stand behind it.
Two very important ethical lessons I have learned while taking C409 are the importance of acting independently and being accountable and transparent in journalism. In journalism, it is one’s duty as a reporter to serve the public in a reliable fashion and communicate valuable information to your audience. I think this is a very crucial ethical lesson because often times it is easy for journalists to report on what they believe will please their co-workers or boss within the workplace however, their primary obligation is to serve the public as a whole. One of the biggest requirements that falls under SPJ’s code of ethics to act independently is to avoid conflicts of interest which journalists may sometimes find themselves in. By avoiding conflicts of interests as well as denying any gifts, favors, special treatment, etc. a journalist is able to uphold their credibility as a writer and avoid tainting their reputation.
In regards to being accountable and transparent, I believe this is one of the most valuable takeaways I have had from taking this course. After watching the movie Shattered Glass and analyzing Stephen Glass’s case, I came to realize that being accountable and transparent in your writing is one of the most important aspects to being a journalist. By being able to explain and validate your ethical choices as well as acknowledging any mistakes you may have made to your audience rather than covering them up, you will be able to maintain your credibility and keep your audience’s trust in you to do the right thing. It is also vital to be able to provide adequate proof of your sources, locations, events, etc. in the chance that any questioning about your accuracy is brought to your attention, you are able to back them up. By being accountable and transparent in journalism and reporting, you will avoid issues of fabrication or plagiarism. Stephen Glass was neither accountable nor transparent in his writing and as a result he lost all of his credibility and respect from his co-workers, friends and audience.
The case study that impressed me the most was the Karla Gutierrez case. I found this case especially intriguing due to the fact a recorded 911 call from Gutierrez, who was sinking to her death in a canal off a Miami-Dade turnpike at the time, was aired to the public. While Gutierrez’s family had requested that the recording not be released, there were news stations that proceeded to air the recording of Gutierrez’s call. This case brought up major ethical concerns about the right to privacy as well as minimizing harm. The recording included Gutierrez and the 911 dispatcher going back and forth about what had happened and where she was located, until the call cut off due to her drowning. A recording such as this one can be extremely painful to not only Gutierrez’s loved ones to hear, but very disturbing to the general public as well. I found this case extremely important because the family of Gutierrez had specifically requested the recording not to be aired, yet it was. This case was a perfect example of one of the many conflicts of interest a reporter could experience and brought to light a lot of questions about what the ethical course of action was/should have been.
I believe that C409 will have a very significant impact on my future career and life due to the fact the ethical lessons I have learned over the course of the past few months are very applicable to several scenarios I may face in journalism or my everyday life. After taking C409, I believe in my career I will be much more aware of ethical practices and very useful in helping me determine what the ethical thing to do is any given situation. In regards to my everyday personal life, I believe many of the concepts taught over this course are very relevant as well especially being accountable and transparent to my friends, family, and peers with my actions and the reasoning behind them.
Overall, C409 has taught me many beneficial lessons that I can use within school, the work-place, and my everyday life. C409 has not only taught me to be ethical within my own practices, but be aware of ethics within the news and media that I am exposed to every single day. After taking this course I feel that I have a much better grasp on ethics and how to identify unethical practices or ethical dilemmas within the media I follow. I have learned the importance of not only acting in an ethical manner, but being able to justify my actions with adequate reasoning.