Avery Ovens
ao138618@ohio.edu
averyovenss@gmail.com
I feel that journalists today have a huge advantage yet disadvantage with technology. Journalists have so many new social media platforms and ways of storytelling to use when reaching the public in a much quicker way, but the media has also made journalists not only fear for their future but has put major pressure on their job.
A journalist's job is to inform the public with the truth and facts. They want to help guide people in their decision making and opinions with real things happening around them. It is important that everything they are reporting is accurate and trustworthy, not persuasive or bias. The readers need to be able to trust in the editorial integrity wherever they choose to get their news.
https://www.rtdna.org/content/rtdna_code_of_ethics
https://www.asme.media/editorial-guidelines
Technology has not only allowed faster communication between journalists and the public but has allowed an opportunity to share visuals for further credibility and documentation. This has been a game changer but also caused many conflicts to their job at hand. Many visuals may cross the ethical line with the public and ruin a journalist's credibility. There can be staged photos, vulnerable subjects, invasion of privacy or edits that can change how someone not only views a story but views the journalist who reported on it.
The media also uses these new ways of sharing to put other people in positions where they can post things that shouldn't necessarily be posted. This can put pressure on journalists being questioned why they haven't reported on certain things. The code of ethics for journalists isn't clear to the public when certain matters hit the internet. People expect stories on everything no matter the cost. The fact that anyone can post anything on the internet doesn't mean anyone or just anything should be posting or posted. If a credible journalist isn't taking their time to write about it, it's most likely not worth reading about.
Journalists can also fall into the pressure of the timeliness of their reporting since everyone has a fair opportunity to share at the same time online. When big news hits the media, it can quickly become trending before journalists have the chance the decide if this is something to report on or how to report on it. They want to help inform the public with good helpful information, not fake or tampered with. People post online without thinking how it could affect others and this is something journalists think about every time they are reporting on something which is why it could prolong their process.
https://www.rtdna.org/content/rtdna_code_of_ethics
"Seek the truth and report it" from the article, PRSA Code of Ethics, becomes slightly difficult when technology is moving quicker than a journalist's moral compass!
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