Throughout this class, understanding ethics was a pillar of what we were taught. We were constantly questioned and asked thought-provoking questions, making us rethink the entire idea of what is actually ethical. Although there were numerous amounts of cases that really made me question this, two of the ones that stood out to me the most were the ones pertaining to naming victims and how Photoshop is used in photojournalism.
When a journalist photoshops a picture, they ultimately compromise the story. The reason my journalists do this is to intrigue the reader or viewer and sway their thinking. This type of “swaying” is also seen in print journalim as well, with journalist falsifying the facts in order to get “the best” story. What I found interesting about this aspect was that the main reason people find themselves doing this is for the own good of their reputation, and ultimately for themselves.
I thought what we learned about naming victims was both relevant and interesting. Today in the news, there are tragedies everywhere. Whether it be a mass shooting or a sexual assault, it is absolutely imperative that these victims stay confidential. What I learned in this course was that this is not only for the victims’ sake but for the sake of their families as well. Yes, people want information and often times want to know who the victim was, but the ethical thing to do is carefully consider who is being affected by this information.
As for case studies, I thought one of the most relevant and impressive ones was the one about Stephen Glass. This was one of the first case studies we reflected on, and I was immediately impressed by the relevance it had to us as young journalists. This goes back to what I mentioned above, journalists constantly wanting the best story.
I think we as students can relate to Glass on multiple levels. Yes, we want people to enjoy reading our work, and sometimes we are tempted to stretch the truth because of this. But overall, after watching the demise of Stephen Glass, it was important to learn that his work not only affected him but his publishers and employers as well.
This course left me with numerous valuable lessons. First, I learned that it is truly not worth it to break the code of ethics. Although at the time it seems as though this is the right thing to do in order to further your career, it is always more noble and rewarding, to tell the truth, and be honest with your audience. I think in my future career as a journalist I will constantly take a step back and ask myself questions we were asked in this class, like “Is this ethical?” or “Who is this affecting?”.
This course was both thorough and well run. Before enrolling in this course, I was not sure what to expect. Leaving this course, I have so many tools that I will carry with me throughout my career and life as a journalist. It made me think critically and consider ideas that I would not have come to on my own.