Ethical Journalism

Last class period we discussed ethical situations in journalism and when it's appropriate for journalists to create stories. We went over various scenarios in which one could question the ethics that were used in the journalism tactics. One example which raises questions on the code of ethics that journalists adhere to took place in 1954 when Dr. Sam Sheppard was convicted of murdering his wife and sentenced to 12 years in prison. This case raises questions on the ethics of the journalism because the media covered the case so heavily that they created a biased jury which lead to Sheppard's sentence. I feel that journalists need to know when to not take stories too far. I don't think it was right for them to take a side on a murder case, sway the public on the ruling, and ultimately create the ruling for the jury. Journalists are not judges and therefore have no authority to sentence people before they are given a fair trial.
While I do not believe that there is true objectivity in journalism because opinions can leak out even in journalist writing styles, I feel that journalists are ethical if they do their best to remain neutral in their writing and allow their audience to create their own opinion from news stories.
I want to become a broadcast journalist and it will therefore be necessary for me to adhere to a code of ethics as I gather and create packages for the public. I feel that honesty is one of the most important qualities that I will strive for in my future profession. I feel that if I am honest with the public I will gain their trust and respect which will not only keep them more informed on what's occurring in society, but it could also create an increase in the number of views that my station will get. One example of dishonest journalism took place at the Walstreet Journal when one of the writers wrote a completely one-sided series in hopes of obtaining the Pulitzer Prize. I feel that cases like this are extremely unethical, and journalists should never sway facts in order to win awards for their work. Click here for another example of unethical journalism which springs out of "pack journalism" which is when a bunch of reporters cover the same story.