Sunday, September 16, 2007
Journalism issue from "Reporting for Duty"
One of the issues that jumped out at me was the journalists idea file. The idea file contains a myriad of news clippings, old media releases, web printouts, scribbled notes etc that people would often discard. These things can however be useful if a new development on an old story arises. The things kept in the 'idea file' could provide background information or even new angles and ideas for the story. Even old stories can be revisited if a half developed idea fully formulates into what could be potentially a great story even a month or so after the event. It is a good idea to keep one for they assist in the creation of self-generated story ideas, which are welcome as reporters give more commitment to these stories and they rarely follow old ideas. Things can just crop up unexpectedly that could develop an idea story into a great story.
Chapter 11 "Reporting for Duty"
1/ A journalists first priority is public interest. Police corruption is a major issue and should be reported in a case as serious as this. It does however put the journalist in a tough position as they jeapordise their beat. If your media organisation is then excluded from police media, editor and senior police meetings are common. It is important to try and maintain good relationships with the police media in order to get the best information, but a journalists first duty is to the public.
2/ Journalists should not bow to ultimatums from the story subject. I would try to refer the woman to facilities that can help her, such as counselling or mental health retreats. Another option is to avoid publishing her name. See if you can come to a compromise.
3/If your paper reports all such cases then the journalist should report the issue. It will appeal to human interest. A journalist should sum up whether the story is newsworthy and of public concern before printing it. Journalists should not treat people differently because they are famous or esteemed. Nobody is above the law and everyone, including celebrities, should be punished if they commit crimes. Part of this punishment is dealing with the ramifications and bad press. It would be unethical to accept gifts and not print the story.
4/ Get whatever information you can, contact details of the juror and take the matter to your superiors in the news room. A chief of staff is in a better position to decide whether the matter should be reported or not. Certainly it is in the publics interest to know about a corrupt legal system and police force. A case as big as this should definitely be reported on.
2/ Journalists should not bow to ultimatums from the story subject. I would try to refer the woman to facilities that can help her, such as counselling or mental health retreats. Another option is to avoid publishing her name. See if you can come to a compromise.
3/If your paper reports all such cases then the journalist should report the issue. It will appeal to human interest. A journalist should sum up whether the story is newsworthy and of public concern before printing it. Journalists should not treat people differently because they are famous or esteemed. Nobody is above the law and everyone, including celebrities, should be punished if they commit crimes. Part of this punishment is dealing with the ramifications and bad press. It would be unethical to accept gifts and not print the story.
4/ Get whatever information you can, contact details of the juror and take the matter to your superiors in the news room. A chief of staff is in a better position to decide whether the matter should be reported or not. Certainly it is in the publics interest to know about a corrupt legal system and police force. A case as big as this should definitely be reported on.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Journalism issue: Email interviewing
The art of email interviewing has come under scrutiny owing to no tone of voice in responses, no spontaneity (follow up questions etc), legal repurcussions and uncertainty of getting a response. The label as the 'McDonalds of journalism' fast and serviceable has been attached to email interviewing also, but this could be seen as an advantage for the time constrained journalist. Email interviews have a number of advantages for a modern journalist. They are quick, simple and effective in eliciting well thought out and constructed responses as opposed to spur of the moment answers. It is impossible to misquote with cut and paste technology and email can be used to send complex reports and documents for experts to comment on. Certainly, the email interview has its downfalls, but as a modern journalistic practice it is certainly worth consideration.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Week 9 - Chapter 9 and Chapter 15
Chapter 9 "Interviewing, a Core Skill"
1/ In a situation like this the journalist needs to weigh up which quotation bears the most relevance to the story or angle being taken, as well as which quotation will give the story the most colour and best direction. Even clumsy direct quotes can contribute to character as well as the tone and theme of the article. If this is not the case, there is always the option of converting the quote into an indirect quote. In some instances it is acceptable to insert words into quotes in brackets for grammatical correctness. I think I would personally use the unclear quote but possibly attempt to tidy it up using ellipses to omit clumsy sections or use partial quotes as an alternative.
2/ If at all possible journalists should avoid making threats. The legal ramifications can be substantial. If something is of great public interest, there are better ways of uncovering this information than making sinister threats.
3/ It is important to avoid getting personally involved with the interviewee, but practicing an understanding, non-judgmental and empathetic approach can encourage openness on the part of the subject. This is simply good interviewing practice and if this helps elicit better responses from the interviewee there is no unethical conduct. Certainly, a journalist should remain impartial and avoid gaining 'chemistry' by displaying personal support for a cause. They should not take sides. Journalists should not abuse a position of trust however and the lines between on and off the record should not be blurred.
4/If a journalist gets too close to a source, particularly an anonymous source, the ramifications can be dire. If a journalist finds themselves in court as a result of the story they have written and refuse to provide the identity of sources there are serious legal implications. Journalists should ensure they do not become too emotionally involved with sources as this jeopardises the work and the potential implications.
5/ George. W. Bush is probably one of the more inarticulate world leaders of this time. As a journalist you should probably report accurately. If what Bush says is total rubbish, most journalists attribute it to him anyway as he has become renound for making silly comments. Most mass media are ruthless in their portrayals of Bush's worst moments. What Bush says definitely contributes to his character and therefore should be used.
2/ If at all possible journalists should avoid making threats. The legal ramifications can be substantial. If something is of great public interest, there are better ways of uncovering this information than making sinister threats.
3/ It is important to avoid getting personally involved with the interviewee, but practicing an understanding, non-judgmental and empathetic approach can encourage openness on the part of the subject. This is simply good interviewing practice and if this helps elicit better responses from the interviewee there is no unethical conduct. Certainly, a journalist should remain impartial and avoid gaining 'chemistry' by displaying personal support for a cause. They should not take sides. Journalists should not abuse a position of trust however and the lines between on and off the record should not be blurred.
4/If a journalist gets too close to a source, particularly an anonymous source, the ramifications can be dire. If a journalist finds themselves in court as a result of the story they have written and refuse to provide the identity of sources there are serious legal implications. Journalists should ensure they do not become too emotionally involved with sources as this jeopardises the work and the potential implications.
5/ George. W. Bush is probably one of the more inarticulate world leaders of this time. As a journalist you should probably report accurately. If what Bush says is total rubbish, most journalists attribute it to him anyway as he has become renound for making silly comments. Most mass media are ruthless in their portrayals of Bush's worst moments. What Bush says definitely contributes to his character and therefore should be used.
Chapter 15 "Computer Assisted Reporting"
1/ I would personally choose the new online publication based on a number of factors. First of all, after the courses taken, I would have a high level of expertise in web based reporting. I would also be able to assist in site development and construction. Second the job would provide great experience and add greatly to your portfolio, while simultaneously providing immediate financial security. As with many new web based publications and companies, if the work you produce is of a high standard, there is the possibility of a contract extension. If not the experience and finances gained will have been worth it.
2/ Email interviews are dangerous, due to lack of security and potential identity confusion. However, it can also be beneficial. You should ensure the interviewee is happy to let you use their written answers when conducting email interviews. It is easy to quote information with copy and paste and the interviewee has time to give a well thought out and constructive response. This is not always possible in a spontaneous face to face environment. I would go ahead with the email interview on account of the fact that the information disseminated will be of a high quality, which is important for important issues. If time permitted it may be helpful to set up a casual chat with the interviewee to discuss some of the less pressing issues from which you could draw some quotable information.
3/ Nobody likes a whistleblower, but sometimes it is necessary. I would approach the colleague first to give them a chance to explain. I would give them the opportunity to deal with the situation as they saw fit before stepping in and doing anything myself. The onus should be placed on the colleague to take responsibility for their actions.
4/ The trouble with receiving information like this is that it has a high chance of being a hoax, or put a journalist in a dangerous situation. You could attempt to find the source of the email but this is a difficult task. Perhaps it would be worth investigating if extreme caution was taken, but in most cases out of the blue anonymous information like this would be considered dangerous.
5/ To decide which quote is the correct one you should examine the integrity of the site they were posted on. Official sites would be more likely to contain the most accurate information. Reliable websites often contain .gov or .edu as these indicate government and education organisation information respectively. .coms .orgs .nets
2/ Email interviews are dangerous, due to lack of security and potential identity confusion. However, it can also be beneficial. You should ensure the interviewee is happy to let you use their written answers when conducting email interviews. It is easy to quote information with copy and paste and the interviewee has time to give a well thought out and constructive response. This is not always possible in a spontaneous face to face environment. I would go ahead with the email interview on account of the fact that the information disseminated will be of a high quality, which is important for important issues. If time permitted it may be helpful to set up a casual chat with the interviewee to discuss some of the less pressing issues from which you could draw some quotable information.
3/ Nobody likes a whistleblower, but sometimes it is necessary. I would approach the colleague first to give them a chance to explain. I would give them the opportunity to deal with the situation as they saw fit before stepping in and doing anything myself. The onus should be placed on the colleague to take responsibility for their actions.
4/ The trouble with receiving information like this is that it has a high chance of being a hoax, or put a journalist in a dangerous situation. You could attempt to find the source of the email but this is a difficult task. Perhaps it would be worth investigating if extreme caution was taken, but in most cases out of the blue anonymous information like this would be considered dangerous.
5/ To decide which quote is the correct one you should examine the integrity of the site they were posted on. Official sites would be more likely to contain the most accurate information. Reliable websites often contain .gov or .edu as these indicate government and education organisation information respectively. .coms .orgs .nets
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