Who am I?
My name is Jessica Anna Swenson. I grew up in North Logan, Utah. I have a stay-at-home mother and a college professor father. I have three siblings, all younger. I belong to the LDS Church. I am currently a sophomore at BYU. I am majoring in linguistics, and I am pursuing a minor in editing. I love to read, write, know stuff, cook, be with friends and family, discover, crochet, ponder, and laugh. As all these things influence me, they also influence what I think and do. These “biases” effect the way I view journalism.
This is my personal journalistic code. This is how I view journalism.
What journalism means to me:
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, journalism is “the occupation or profession of a journalist; journalistic writing; the public journals collectively.”[1] It either describes the person or their work.
Beyond stark definition, journalism is information. It is an expression of our desire to share stories with others. It is connection to the world. It is communication of societal values. It is the opportunity to become an informed citizen.
I do not plan to be a journalist, but I plan to be a smart news consumer. I plan to be informed about the world around me. I plan to support the efforts of hard-working and ethical journalists by reading their work and subscribing to their service. I plan to support news organizations in the quest to inform citizens.
Without the consumer there is no need for news. Without the news, there is no consumer. I hope to participate in this balance.
How I define excellent journalism:
I will determine the types of news organizations of journalists I will support by applying the elements I have learned through this class. I will look for journalists who have the following code of conduct:
1. Take truth as their first obligation,
2. are loyal to the citizens,
3. practice verification,
4. maintain independence,
5. serve as a monitor of power,
6. provide a forum for public criticism and compromise,
7. make the significant interesting and relevant,
8. keep the news comprehensive and in proportion, and
9. exercise personal conscience.[2]
First, Truth.
Most importantly, journalists should strive for the truth. “Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come.”[3] In other words, truth is eternal. To me, there are two kinds of truth. There are situational-specific truths and there are those eternal truths. Journalism has the ability to convey both. Stories are centered around the situational truths, giving facts and providing unbiased information, but they also convey these larger truths and values. Journalism frees us from the bonds of ignorance and, as better informed citizens, we have the knowledge we need to get involved and make in difference in the world.
It is important to remember that “comment is free, but facts are sacred.”[4] They must be held in the highest esteem by the journalist, because truth is exactly what journalism is all about.
Second, Loyalty.
A journalist’s first loyalty should be to the citizens. The writers, compilers, and presenters of news, must have truth and accuracy as their primary goal. Information is what makes our society free and democratic. Because they connect the newsmakers with the news-consumers, their loyalty is primarily to the audience.
“The greater the loyalty…toward the group, the greater is the motivation among the members to achieve the goals of the group, and the greater the probability that the group will achieve its goals.”[5] Loyalty will drive the journalist to act ethically.
Third, Verification.
A companion to truth, a journalist should verify all their information, quotes, and facts. Preferably, everything should be verified with at least two sources, and these sources should be cited. Before anonymity is given, the situation should be given serious thought and the decision made with an editor. When mistakes are made, they should be acknowledged and corrected quickly. “Verification is what separates journalism from other modes of communication,”[6] and that responsibility should be taken very seriously.
Fourth, Independence.
“Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public's right to know.”[7] They should avoid any conflicts of interest, and be transparent when such conflicts are unavoidable. This includes race, religion, gender, economic class, nationality, and so on.
Journalists should also be independent from the material they cover. How else can they be the objective truth-tellers that citizens expect them to be? Yes, it’s hard to not put opinion into what we write, but journalists cannot let personal feelings into their writing. To do so would be unfair to the audience and unfair to the story and the truth.
Fifth, Monitor Power
Journalists are, in a way, the super heroes of the world. They're the ones who look out for the people by watching over the policy makers. It's their job to make sure the citizens know what is really going on by serving as their watchdog. It's also important to realize that this does not mean chasing down a scandal where one does not exist. It means finding the truth and telling the truth. If the large organization is actually being ethical and fair in its practices, then write that! It's not as exciting, but it's still truth.
Sixth, Seek Comment and Criticism
Journalists used to be separate from the people, simply a small name on the page. Now, with the internet and social media driven world we live in today, this is all but impossible Journalists should keep the lines of communication open between them and the citizens. This can be accomplished by maintaining a Twitter account or by publishing a email address. Criticisms should be welcome and dealt with politely. “While criticism can be taken as hurtful and demoralizing, it can also be viewed in a positive way: it is honesty, and it can spur us to do better. It’s an opportunity to improve.”[8]
Seven, Interesting and Relevant
Journalism is storytelling with a great purpose: to inform the citizens. Articles are more than lists of important information. For the world of journalism to survive, they must make the “significant interesting and relevant.”[9] The quality of the work is measured by how much it informs and captures the audience, and inspires them to act. It is important, though, to not cover fluffy stories for the sake of entertainment. “While journalism should reach beyond such topics as government and public safety, a journalism overwhelmed by trivia and false significance ultimately engenders a trivial society.”[10]
Eighth, Comprehensive and Proportional
A journalist should not attempt to mislead the audience by distorting details. They should neither downplay or hype. They should always strive for accuracy. “Human emotion is at the heart of what makes something news. Once you try to manufacture it, or use it to bring attention to yourself, you have crossed the line into something there is already enough of--reality entertainment."[11]
Ninth, Personal Conscience
A journalist should not willing to sacrifice personal beliefs and convictions. When conflicts seemingly arise, they should carefully pray and ponder to discover their path. I expect journalists to make certain values a part of themselves, like integrity, humility, fairness, civility, and trustworthiness. These values should show through their techniques and reporting.
Additionally, the “diversity of minds and voices, not just numbers,” in the newsroom is ensure accuracy when covering a wide variety of subjects.[12] Journalists should speak up when fairness and truth demands.
Conclusion
Those are the things I find valuable in journalism.
The previous outline is multi-faceted. It is a list of what journalists should do, and who they should be. It outlines the guidelines and ethics they should follow. It also provides citizens a standard they can measure news writers and organizations with.
These are the kind of reporters I wish to see, and these are the reporters I will support as a consumer of news. [1] "journalism, n.". OED Online. September 2011. Oxford University Press. 6 December 2011 <http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/101739?redirectedFrom=journalism>.
[2] Kovach, Bill, and Tom Rosenstiel. The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect. New York: Three Rivers, 2007. Print.
[3] Doctrine and Covenants 93:24. Book of Mormon. U.S.A.: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
[4] Scott, CP. "A Hundred Years." Editorial. Manchester Guardian 5 May 1921. Guardian. 28 Nov. 2002. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2002/nov/29/1>.
[5] ThinkExist.com Quotations. “Rensis Likert quotes”. ThinkExist.com Quotations Online 1 Nov. 2011. 6 Dec. 2011 <http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/rensis_likert/>
[6] "Principles of Journalism | Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ)." PEJ | Understanding News in the Information Age. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://www.journalism.org/resources/principles>.
[7] "SPJ Code of Ethics." Society of Professional Journalists. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://spj.org/ethicscode.asp>.
[8] Babauta, Leo. "How to Accept Criticism with Grace and Appreciation." Zenhabits.net. 27 Sept. 2007. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://zenhabits.net/how-to-accept-criticism-with-grace-and-appreciation/>.
[9] Kovach, Bill, and Tom Rosenstiel. The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect. New York: Three Rivers, 2007. Print.
[10] Principles of Journalism | Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ)." PEJ | Understanding News in the Information Age. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://www.journalism.org/resources/principles>.
[11] Kovach, Bill, and Tom Rosenstiel. "Make the News Comprehensive and Proportional." The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect. New York: Three Rivers, 2007. 216. Print.
[12] Principles of Journalism | Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ)." PEJ | Understanding News in the Information Age. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://www.journalism.org/resources/principles>.
