Throughout the course there have obviously been many ethical issues and moral dilemmas brought up in the field of journalism. And while each topic we discussed was meaningful in its own way, there were two that really stuck with me. Number one was to never fabricate your sources. In a cutthroat type field like journalism it can be tempting to make stuff up here and there to move up in the industry. But you owe it to your readers and the public as a whole to be truthful in your reporting. The other topic I found both important and interesting was somewhat broad but still important and that is decision making. Knowing if it is appropriate to name children in stories, air 911 emergency calls, when to publish certain photos, etc. are all important aspects of being an ethical journalist.
As mentioned earlier, fabricating stories and sources was one topic that really stood out to me. Therefore it should be no surprise that I was most impressed with the case of Stephen Glass. It just goes to show that no matter how prestigious the outlet, fact checkers must always be aware. There, unfortunately, will always be lying and deceiving in this industry. That is why it is so important to keep journalists in check by making sure they are 100% truthful.
As a public relations major, I think this course has a different type of impact than it would for a journalist. Public relations professionals sometimes get a rap for being “spin artists” and simply lying or covering up scandals for their clients. And while there is some truth behind these stereotypes due to the actions of some people, there is no reason everyone in the industry needs to act like that. This course has taught me to be honest in my career. Obviously it is going to be my job to make sure my company and or clients look good. But there are ways to do that while still being ethical. I will certainly highlight positive aspects but will never hide the negative ones. If there is ever a time a client of mine finds themselves in some sort of scandal or unfortunate position I will always be truthful. Nothing good can come from hiding information and deceiving the public and that I is what I will take from this class moving forward.
I think this course does a good job of diving into the reality of what journalism as a whole is. Not everyone working in the field is there to make a positive impact. In fact many people actually have a negative impact. But, as an entire country we need to keep that in mind. A truthful and reliable press is one of the keys to a true democracy. As long as we understand that there are certain journalists and outlets you just cannot trust, we will be fine despite all the fake news and unethical behavior out there.