Decisions, Decisions...

Adrianna Davies
ad497714@ohio.edu

Photo via Garbonza Files

When a journalist is faced with choosing what information to share and what to keep private, they can often get lost in the heat of the moment. Deciding what is ethical and what is not has a very fine line. And, if you add a time frame, it can only make the situation worse for the reporter. That's why journalists have created a list of questions to consider while determining what information to include and omit. Below are a few to help get you started -

Who?
Journalists need to take a step back and ask themselves - who? Who will potentially be affected by what I choose to publish? For example, if you're reporting about a child involved in some sort of crime or scandal and that child is under the age of 18, you may want to hold back sharing some information. Of course, ask the parents consent first before interviewing or publishing anything. But after, ask yourself, "who will this information harm?". Will it have a long-term effect on this person?

What?
Start with asking yourself, "what information do I have and what information do I need?". What is the purpose of your story? What rules or ethical guidelines might you over step for publishing too much or too little information? What will happen to you if you do cross these boundaries? What would you want to happen to you if you were in the position of the person whom you're writing about? What are possible consequences that the person you are writing about could face?

How?
Another question journalists ask is "how?". How are you able to get more than one viewpoint to the story? How will you go about deciding what information to share? Thinking about the consequences of the action, one may ask "how will I feel about the decisions I make?". How will you avoid situations that may cause harm to multiple sides of the story?

ASK!
Moral of the story, it's better to ask any and all questions before you begin to write. This way you have an idea of what you are writing about, for whom and to whom. Discussing the ethical sides to stories can get tricky. Don't be afraid to take a step back and ask yourself the questions above. If you're still struggling, have a friend or a colleague read your story. After, ask them the questions as a starting point as to have them get you in the direction you need to go in. If you are still stuck, you can refer to 5 Principles of Journalism and Asking the Right Questions as other sources of advice.

The worst thing a writer can do is cross a line that shouldn't be crossed. If you find yourself overstepping your boundaries, you can end up in some serious trouble with the company or the people you work for. Most of the time, if you have a feeling that something you are going to publish may have a negative effect - it probably will. Go with your gut and use your moral judgement.