WEEK 14- Chapter 16 'Ethical journalism: is it an oxymoron?'

WEEK 14- Chapter 16 ‘Ethical journalism: is it an oxymoron’?

1. You are a reporter and an important source invites you to dinner. The source says it is the only way you will get the information you need and insists on paying. Based on past practice, you newspaper will refuse to reimburse your costs. What do you do?


I take them to a really cheap restaurant and pay, only joking. I would pay the money, which is probably the unethical choice. It seems like a small price to pay for the possibility of a improved story. If the source does not reveal any new or relevant information I would have wasted time and money, which be a risk, I would be willing to take.

2. While the travel editor was on sick leave, you took a two-week trip to Spain, courtesy of a major airline. During the trip, the airline insisted that the resulting story be positive, and demanded the right to vet and change your copy, saying an advertising contract depended upon it. It was the worst trip of your life. What do you do?

I am not sure what I would do in this situation as just because I had a bad trip does not necessarily mean other people have had the same negative experience. However if other people have had the same dismal experience I would write the story.

3. A reliable source tells you an error in your story, which has been published in this morning’s paper. This means that you must notify the editor and compose a correction for publication. But the source is not concerned about the error and insists that this not be done. Instead they want you to write another small story, based on a new angle. Your admission of error will cost you a pay rise. What do you do?

First I would correct my error, as the ramifications that could arise later on down the track could be serious. The correction would be made to just cover all parties such as the newspaper and my sources. If the small story based on a new angle had nothing to do with my error of information, I would write the story if the information was factual. If the story was based on that error and was untrue I would refuse to write the news story as it has been formed on dishonest information.

4. You are a court reporter on a major regional newspaper. A teenager convicted of a prostitution offence approaches you. She is beside herself with emotion and says that if you write the story her parents will disown her, her friends will shun her, and worst of all, her partner – who is terminally ill, who she is supporting financially and emotionally in the last days of his life, and who thinks she works in a bank- will not be able to handle finding out how she really earns her money. Your newspaper normally reports such cases. What will you do? Why?


Well the fact she is a teenager may cause some implications such as I may not be able to publish her name. I would write the story but not reveal her identity. Hopefully this way no one knows who she is. But on the same note would this story be for the publics benefit? Probably not, in that case I would reconsider publishing the article.


Journalism Issue

Instead of writing on a journalism issue from the book, I would like to take time and reflect on CMNS1280. I would like to focus on the quiz, which I found to be very beneficial. The quiz taught me to be constantly aware of local to international issues and news. The quiz made me get into good habits by constantly listening/reading news.

Focusing back on ethical journalism i believe that no matter how much you read and inform yourself in regards to ethical practice, I think it is an area that will constantly appear 'grey' until you are actually are working in the industry. It is hard to make decisions on hypothetical situations. I think any aspiring journalists should remember when making decision, they should make decision that are not going to damage their reputation. As it takes a while to build up a good reputation within the journalism industry and one bad decision can ruin ones entire reputation.