Swine flu: Walking the line between hyping and helping

April 27, 2009

Originally posted by Dean Wright to the Full Disclosure Reuters Blog.

There’s nothing like a disease outbreak to highlight the value of the media in alerting and informing the public in the face of an emergency.

There’s also nothing like it to bring out some of our more excessive behavior, essentially shouting “Run for your lives! (but, whatever you do, stay tuned, keep reading the website and don’t forget to buy the paper!).”

An outbreak of swine flu, which has killed scores in Mexico and infected others in the United States, Canada, Europe and New Zealand, is already having an effect on markets and travel plans, in addition to the obvious impact on public health.

The impact on markets could become more significant in time, but the impact on the media was practically immediate.

Cable television programmers went into crisis mode and a look at newspaper front pages and website home pages around the world showed a range of responses, from the almost hysterical to the concerned and more measured.

* In the New York Daily News: “SWINE FLU SPREADS!” (though it was played below a sports story on the New York Yankees losing to the Boston Red Sox).

* In the New York Post: “HOG WILD!” (also playing second to the Yankees’ humiliation, but illustrated with a pig sucking on a thermometer).

[...]

Big, bad-news stories can mean surges in audiences for media outlets and they certainly raise the adrenalin level of editors and reporters. They offer the temptation to go to excess, but they also offer the opportunity for us be of priceless service to our customers, clients and readers.

The question for me is how we in the media make sure we report accurately and informatively on the story and its impact on the markets and consumers’ lives without minimizing and without sensationalizing it.

“This is the type of story where our goal to stay factual and keep perspective is essential to uphold,” says Reuters Editor-in-Chief David Schlesinger. “Our role is neither to trivialize nor to hype or scaremonger, but to describe accurately what is happening and put its implications in context.”

[...]

The swine flu story is still in its early stages and it remains to be seen if this becomes one of the biggest stories of our time. Whatever happens, it won’t hurt us all to take a deep breath now.

(Source: http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2009/04/27/swine-flu-walking-the-line-between-hyping-and-helping/)

The ethics of a non-profit status for newspapers

Interesting to think about how a newspaper's transfer to a non-profit status might affect the ethical practices of its staff...

Senator proposes nonprofit status for newspapers

By LARRY MARGASAK for the Associated Press
March 24, 2009

Struggling newspapers should be allowed to operate as nonprofits similar to public broadcasting stations, Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., proposed Tuesday.

Cardin introduced a bill that would allow newspapers to choose tax-exempt status. They would no longer be able to make political endorsements, but could report on all issues including political campaigns.

Advertising and subscription revenue would be tax-exempt, and contributions to support coverage could be tax deductible.

Cardin said in a statement that the bill is aimed at preserving local newspapers, not large newspaper conglomerates.

"We are losing our newspaper industry," said Cardin. "The economy has caused an immediate problem, but the business model for newspapers, based on circulation and advertising revenue, is broken, and that is a real tragedy for communities across the nation and for our democracy."

[...]

Reports of layoffs and furloughs at newspapers around the country have become common in recent months. Gannett Co., which publishes 85 daily newspapers, announced Monday that it was asking most of its 41,500 employees to give up a week's pay for the second time this year. The same day, Advance Publications, which publishes daily papers in nearly two dozen cities, said it was ordering 10-day furloughs and a pension freeze at nearly all its daily newspapers.

(Source: http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2009/03/24/2590984-senator-proposes-nonprofit-status-for-newspapers)

Journalists ethics initiative to be launched in Dubai

by Abbas Al Lawati

for gulfnews.com

February 7, 2009

DUBAI: An initiative on journalism ethics prepared by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is expected to be adopted by journalist associations and unions in the Middle East and North Africa in Dubai on Monday.

The initiative is expected to be a non-binding and voluntary programme that will attempt to regulate journalistic practices in areas of accountability, ethics, equality and objectivity among others.

The launch is being hosted by the UAE Journalist's Association at the Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai today and tomorrow, where a conference will be followed by the official launch.

Mohammad Yousuf, head of the UAE Journalists Association, said members of journalist unions from the Middle East, North Africa and a few South Asian nations are expected to be present.

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A number of UAE papers adopted a similar voluntary code of conduct last year but faced criticism within UAE media for not abiding by it. Yousuf said that while abiding by the new initiative is entirely the media outlet's responsibility, a monitoring committee will be launched at the same time and will be comprised of members from the IFJ from various countries.

Violations of the initiative would not be punished, and instead, will only be reprimanded.

"This has nothing to do with laws and policies, but an attempt by journalists to regulate themselves," said Yousuf.

He added that the initiative was tailor-made for the Middle East and North Africa region according to IFJ categorisation. "There are some differences between the initiative we will adopt and those that have been adopted in Europe and elsewhere. Every region has a specific version," he said.

Yousuf also said that trends and challenges to the media will also be discussed, such as the role of citizen journalism and bloggers.

He said it was difficult to accept bloggers as journalists because they did not fall under a framework of accountability and ethics that govern responsible reporting.

The two-day conference will be attended by prominent international, Arab and UAE media personalities who will highlight several media-related topics with a focus on ethics and the importance of commitment by media personalities to the code of ethics.

The first day will include three sessions, the first of which will be held under the title of 'Building of Democracy' by Habib Al Sayegh, the media advisor at Al Khaleej newspaper. Aidan White, Secretary General of the International Federation of Journalists, will give a presentation during this session, among other speakers.

The second session, titled 'Challenge of Pluralism and Diversity', will be run by Abdul Hamid Ahmad, Editor-in-Chief of Gulf News. 'Ethics in War times' will be the headline of the third session during which a number of journalists will speak about their experiences during war.

Sakhr Abu Al Own, AFP correspondent and official-in-charge of the Palestinian Journalists Union in Gaza, will speak about his experience during the 22-day Israeli war on Gaza.

Media ethics not a contradiction, says Pulitzer Winner

by Dan Kraynak
for the Marquette Tribune Online
February 5, 2009

Clarence Page, a Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist from the Chicago Tribune, spoke to the Marquette community about media ethics in the Alumni Memorial Union yesterday afternoon.

Just before Page delivered the College of Communication Burleigh Media Ethics Lecture, William Thorn, the chair of the department of journalism, introduced the award-winning journalist to about 100 people in attendance.

"He doesn't know it, but he's been a part of my breakfast ritual for some time now," Thorn said of Page's columns in the Tribune. "I don't always agree with him, but his columns are always well-written."

Page entitled his lecture, "Media Ethics is Not a Contradiction."

"Many people consider the term 'media ethics' to be an oxymoron — like 'jumbo shrimp' or even 'cheerleader scholarship,' " Page said. "But it's a daily reality in a business made up of daily judgment calls."

According to Page, media ethics can be broken down to two levels. The first level consists of practices that are clearly either right or wrong, such as plagiarism or falsifying stories.

But he said the second level isn't always so black and white.

"What do you do when you think that you know what is best for others, even when others don't know what is best for themselves?" Page said.

Issues of public versus private interest, undercover journalism, culture clashes and the underlining influence of new technology are the main areas of second level media ethics Page addressed in his lecture.
"Media ethics change with the times," he said.

Page said that he, as well as many of his colleagues, thought the Chicago Sun-Times had a Pulitzer Prize all but locked up for the undercover reporting the paper did in the 1970s on political corruption in the city. But when Benjamin Bradlee, the former executive editor of the Washington Post, said it was unethical for reporters to misrepresent themselves, undercover journalism quickly faded away in the mainstream media — along with any Pulitzer Prize hopes the Sun-Times had for its undercover work.

"Today we also have a lot of problems with culture clashes," Page said.

Extreme media censorship in countries like China, violence resulting from the printing of religious figures in newspapers' cartoons in different countries and even domestic disputes between the liberal and conservative media in the U.S. are some of the culture clashes Page said affect media ethics.

But Page also said he gives FOX News credit just for breaking out of the pack.

"They've found a niche that works for them. Bill O'Reilly has been competing with and beating Larry King in TV ratings," Page said. "They report the news in a way to attract different viewers, without distorting the information."

David Thome, a journalism lecturer in the College of Communication, said it was nice to see that Page is an open-minded professional.

"I liked a lot of the comments he made, specifically on FOX News," Thome said. "He was much more tolerant and open than I was expecting."

Distinguishing the difference between efficacy and news reporting is extremely important for an ethical journalist, Page said.

"Show good taste, but then again taste is in the eye or ear of the beholder," Page said. "Audiences these days expect some degree of edginess from reporters. The worst thing you can be, besides from being inaccurate, is to be dull."

"Admit your mistakes and apologize for them," Page said. "And always hold yourself to the same standards that you hold other people to."

Media group axes head for alleged ethical violation

from abs-cbnNEWS.com

February 2, 2009

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) announced on Monday the removal of its former chairman Jose Torres Jr. for alleged violations of The Journalist’s Code of Ethics.

“Mr. Torres was found to have personally solicited money from a source for his personal use. The decision was reached after hearing the allegations against Mr. Torres and after he presented his explanation and defense for his action,” NUJP said in a statement.

Torres denied the allegation. “I deny. There was no solicitation and I disagree with the allegations that were imputed against me,” he said in a phone interview when he was asked to comment on the statement.

The statement did not detail the alleged solicitation.

Torres was removed in November 2008. A new set of officers was immediately elected. Torres, former editor in chief of gmanews.tv, was replaced by Philippine Daily Inquirer Iloilo correspondent Nestor Burgos.

Based on the NUJP statement, Torres violated Article V and XI of The Journalist Code of Ethics.

• Article V. I shall not let personal motives or interests influence me in the performance of my duties, nor shall I accept or offer any present, gift or other consideration of a nature that may cast doubt on my professional integrity
• Article XI. I shall conduct myself in public or while performing my duties as journalist in such manner as to maintain the dignity of my profession. When in doubt, decency should be my watchword."

Torres was said to have violated Article II Section 1 of the NUJP by-laws, which tasks members “to raise the standards of journalistic ethics toward the end goal of securing press freedom and protecting the integrity of the working press in the country."

The NUJP by-laws provides that any officer of the group may be removed from office “upon affirmative majority vote of the Directorate having a quorum.” His membership was also cancelled.

NUJP decided to issue a statement on Torres’s removal “to dispel rumors, erroneous assumptions and in response to queries from friends of NUJP, media organizations and allies on an internal organizational matter.”

“It was a difficult process and the decision was a painful one to make. But it had to be made if the principles of the NUJP and the hard work and sacrifices our members have put in to make our union the foremost organization of practicing journalists in the country are to mean anything at all,” the statement added.

First ever political journal to be published soon in Burma

by Phanida for Mizzima

Monday, 26 January 2009 21:59

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – A political journal will be published for the first time on Thursday in Burma notorious for its censorship. This 'Northern Star' journal will focus on political views, political issues at a time when the 2010 general elections are due. The editor-in-chief of this new journal will be army veteran and former government mouthpiece daily paper 'New Light of Myanmar' Vice Editor-in-Chief U Thiha Aung. "Burma is heading towards democracy. We will publish this journal in the belief that it's time to write on political issues in this period of transition to democracy. We will publish some articles written by journalists and writers which will be beneficial for the people along with reviews. Political parties will be formed soon and the organizational work of these parties will commence too. We will review the past and show the right way as we believe to the people", U Thiha Aung said. "It's been 20 years from 1988 to 2008. In our country, people know something and don't know something too. Some known facts are forgotten also. There are milestones in our history which must be recollected and remembered. We will integrate these historical facts with the up-to-date situation for public study. Our articles will be something on these lines," he added. In the first issue, 'Transition to democracy', 'The role of journalists' articles among others written by Maung Wun Tha, Maung Suu Sa and Kyaw Win will be included, it is learnt. "The main aim of our publication is contribution to current journals being published in Burma. It will complement the vacuum in the current media world in Burma which lacks a political issues-centered journal. The journalists are doing what they believe. In this crucial time of 2009-2010, current general issue journals cannot fill this vacuum. We need a special political journal filled with theory and knowledge on politics, views and experiences on politics etc. We will give these articles and views to the people with an unbiased editorial policy. We have only one objective, it is for the sake of the country", U Thiha Aung said. But he frankly admitted that they could barely publish news and articles on detained political leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her 'National League for Democracy' (NLD) party and also on 88 Gen Students. Most of the student leaders from this group are now serving long prison terms. Burma is under tight censorship popularly known as 'Press Kempetai' named after the secret military police during the Japanese occupation. U Thiha Aung served in the Army in the rank of a Major from 1972 to 1991. Then he was transferred to the Ministry of Information and later became Vice editor-in-chief of 'New Light of Myanmar' and then was promoted to Director and General Manager. He retired in 2007. "It's good. Whoever publishes whatever, it should be edited in accordance with media ethics and based on true facts," a veteran journalist-turned-politician from NLD who was released recently from prison after serving nearly 20 years told Mizzima. The Ministry of Information issued publishing licenses for six journals and six magazines in October 2008. At least 130 weekly journals are being published in Burma with such licenses. An editor from Burma does not have high hopes about the new journal given the situation of tight censorship. Political articles and news with foreign issues are being permitted more often than domestic issues which have undergo tighter restrictions. So he does not have much hope about the new journal, he said. It is learnt that the new journal 'Northern Star' will have 20 pages and will be published on Thursday with at least 3,000 copies being circulated at a price tag of Kyat 300 per copy. (Source: http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/1601-first-ever-political-journal-to-be-published-soon.html)

Media organizations implored to heed to President Banda’s advice

from The Lusaka Times

January 17, 2009

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) has called on all media institutions in Zambia to heed to the call by President Rupiah Banda to ensure that they fall under one salutary media ethics regulatory board in order to make the profession more dignified.

MISA Zambia chairperson Henry Kabwe said the media's disunity and lack of common ground has sent a wrong message to the Zambian people where media ethics and professionalism is concerned.

Mr. Kabwe expressed sadness that the citizens have no knowledge on which code of ethics the Zambian media base their conduct on adding that this has made it hard for the ordinary citizens to seek redress on the ethical issues concerning the conduct of the media.

“ We would like to remind all journalists that while they facilitate the freedom of expression and access to information , they owe their allegiance to the Zambian people they serve,” he said.

Mr. Kabwe however stated that media's ethical conduct can not be enforced under statuary regulation because the media is a watch dog of the three arms of government which is supposed to provide checks and balances.

He said the statutory regulation on the media by the three arms of government might be used to hamper the role of the media as a watchdog.

He appealed to the media to ensure that it familiarizes itself with the Media Council of Zambia MECOZ so that many media ethical complaints could be handled internally to avoid actions that would cost the media and lead them to closure.

He further appealed to all media in Zambia to come under one non statutory media ethics body that will enforce media ethical conduct.

The MISA chairperson said the media has an obligation to adhere to media ethics as it carries out the duty of serving the Zambian people.

This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

The media associations have already begun the process of coming up with a strengthened non statuary media ethics regulatory body that should encompass all media in the country.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kabwe also appealed to government to waive tax on key media inputs and broadcasting equipment so as to make the media more sustainable and viable.

ZANIS/AH/MKM/ENDS