Ethical Lessons
Among the many ethical lessons to take away from this course, the two that I found to be the most important for a future journalist are honesty and empathy. A journalist’s job is not only to follow, research, and report on a story, but it is also about decisions. Journalists are faced with ethical dilemmas every day within their field of work and therefore the practice of honesty and empathy is crucial during the decision-making process.
The purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with the necessary and accurate information in order for them to make sound decisions regarding themselves, their community, and the government. Journalists are in a position of power in this way, meaning that the words and facts that they publish will be read and trusted by people. If a journalist purposely writes false information or accusations, citizens can lose their trust in the publication and the world of journalism itself. The fabrication of a story can damage the journalist who wrote it, their publication, their audience, and the general trust in journalism.
I’ve always been taught that telling the truth and hurting someone’s feelings can happen simultaneously in a given situation. While the news is about facts and truth, it is also important for journalists to keep in mind that reporting the truth is not reliant on including details that can potentially harm the victim(s) of a story. During the class where we discussed the ethical dilemma of including rape victim’s names in a publication, I learned that sometimes leaving something out can be more helpful than harmful. In order to report on a crime like rape, it is more pertinent to include the name of the attacker, especially if they have not been caught, than that of the victim’s. Someone suffering from the trauma of a sexual assault may not want their name published, which would label them a victim to not only the public but also their family and friends. Not all people who have been assaulted want their trauma shared with the rest of the world.
Case Study
At the beginning of the semester, one of the first case studies our class learned about was that of Stephen Glass. Glass was a young reporter for The New Republic who fabricated more than half of the stories he wrote for the publication without their knowledge. One of the reasons this particular case stuck with me was because of his demeanor. He managed to manipulate and seduce his co-workers into trusting him by being extremely apologetic, overly nice, and helpful. He didn’t appear to be a bad guy however his actions and lies were so noteworthy that a movie, Shattered Glass, was made to tell his story. He was able to deceive his editors this way along with concocting unbelievable stories for the news organization. Unfortunately, Glass only had his own fame and self in mind when publishing these lies. He hurt not only his own journalistic credibility but also The New Republic, their audience, and the co-workers who trusted him. I will never forget the case of Stephan Glass as it taught me not only that my credibility is everything, but also that just being nice and helpful won’t help me keep a job.
Reflection
With the end of the course insight, I can confidently say that this course will have an impact on my future career. I felt like I was truly learning in each class. Comm 409 forced me to think about the ethical dilemmas that journalists face both within and outside of their writing. Dr. Z’s constant questioning of the class created an engaging learning environment. I questioned myself and the practices of other journalists while learning about different case studies. I liked that we were asked what we would have done in similar situations and then compared to my classmates. As someone who is absolutely pursuing a career in journalism, I know that this class will help me with the ethical dilemmas of the future. Overall, I loved the class. Dr. Z found a way to keep each class interesting with new videos, case studies, and lessons. I enjoyed coming to class every week. I also really appreciate the several extra credit opportunities Dr. Z gave us as well as the point opportunities for office hours. A lot of comm professors stick strictly to their assignments which can allow for students to fall short grade-wise. I really appreciate Dr. Z and the education I received from the class as a whole.