bc494010@ohio.edu
In the world of journalism today it is very strict competition to get a story. There is the struggle of finding a topic worth writing about, being able to pitch to the right people, having the finances to fund a project and so on. What needs to prevail is the product of good journalism and the impact that it can have on society. As journalists, when we are disconnected from possible influences, we should be able to find ourselves sticking to the truth rather than being swayed to one side.
Sticking to Your Guns
Looking at the interview between Matt Lauer and Paula Deen on her racist comments that she has made, many people said that he was very hard on Deen. There are points in the interview where she gets off track and is trying to talk about how sorry she is rather than answering the question. Lauer pushes through and insists on her answering the questions when she gets off track. Matt Lauer has no connection with Paula Deen and her company. While she has appeared on The Today Show in the past, she has nothing with Matt Lauer that would tie him to any of her profits or her company at all. Since he has no connection with her company, he was able to be a critical interviewer and get the answers that he was looking for. If he were tied to her in a partnership or a friendship he would have been more likely to be gentle when asking her questions.
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| (Courtesy of cbs19.tv) |
In this Prezi presentation by account username M Apperson, they use the quote, "Your honesty is like your virginity -- you only lose it once." If you were to be caught lying or being caught accepting a form of bribery for a story, how would you ever get a job again? Once you lose your honesty as a journalist, you may never gain your credibility back.
Look at Elizabeth O'Bagy -- a woman with many years left in her career, who will now be working at an Applebee's for the rest of her life after lying to the Institute for the Study of War about having obtained her PhD from Georgetown University. Well, she didn't really lie, she just didn't mention that she was not accepted into the PhD program. The thought probably crossed her mind that she would not be able to keep her job since she was not accepted into the PhD program. By not telling ISW that she possibly would not be getting her degree, she loses her credibility. A 26 year old now has a slim chance at getting a career because she just wasn't honest.
Look at Elizabeth O'Bagy -- a woman with many years left in her career, who will now be working at an Applebee's for the rest of her life after lying to the Institute for the Study of War about having obtained her PhD from Georgetown University. Well, she didn't really lie, she just didn't mention that she was not accepted into the PhD program. The thought probably crossed her mind that she would not be able to keep her job since she was not accepted into the PhD program. By not telling ISW that she possibly would not be getting her degree, she loses her credibility. A 26 year old now has a slim chance at getting a career because she just wasn't honest.
Honesty is The Best Policy
It just goes to show you: Stick to your ethics. When a person lies in business, in journalism, to your mother, the person loses your trust and never know when you can gain it back. Taking bribes to get on top of the game can come back to bite you.
It just goes to show you: Stick to your ethics. When a person lies in business, in journalism, to your mother, the person loses your trust and never know when you can gain it back. Taking bribes to get on top of the game can come back to bite you.
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