The ethical editor in "Shattered Glass"

By: April Prior
ap284205@ohio.edu

“Shattered Glass” is one of the most widely watched journalism movies of our generation. I remember watching this movie back in my high school journalism class and just being completely shocked that someone would fabricate any or all aspects of their stories in which they report as the truth.

Watching this movie for a second time as a senior in college currently enrolled in a Media Ethics class, it was interesting to see how aspects of the movie had more meaning this time around. First, I understood HOW everyone in the office believed Stephen Glass in the first place, he was the king of being passive-aggressive. He would be all hyped up about his story or have a really great defense to editor’s asking him for notes, and then he would fall back on the phrase “it’s stupid, I don’t think I’m going to run with it” or “you’re not mad at me are you?” This made it difficult for people to question him or really look deeper into his stories because they all related to him and felt for him as a reporter. This bias is part of the reason he was able to get away with fabricating so many stories while at the New Republic.

Another aspect of the movie that doesn’t get discussed as frequently as the main storyline is the role of Chuck Lane, the newly hired editor. He was in a tough position from the beginning, being the favorite of upper management and replacing the well-liked editor. He could have stepped into the role, tried to win-over the reporters to like him instead of pushing on the questionable reporting of Stephen Glass. Instead, he decided to take the ethical route and “seek the truth and report it” as well as understand the obligation to “act independently” as described in the SPJ Code of Ethics.

This movie was made in 2003 about what happened in 1998. Stephen Glass felt the pressure of the need to succeed to make him fabricate his stories. In our current state of the news media we have a 24/7 news monster that needs to be constantly fed more and more food. It is not surprising we have so many journalists struggling to make the ethical decision and simply report the truth.