Ethics, control, regulation and more
The unofficial mobile phone footage showing the execution of former leader Saddam Hussein has put the internet on the spot and rightfully so as Iraqi authorities fear the footage, released on the internet after the execution, could contribute to a dramatic rise in sectarian tensions between Iraq's Sunni and Shia communities.
The release of the footage raises question about ethics and control and this brings to mind an important question we raised in one of our discussions about regulation and ethics.
Regulating and upholding ethics in the practice of traditional journalism has proven to be a difficult task, what more when in comes to the pratice of citizen journalism. But it is still refreshing to know that there are people like Dan Gilmor, founder of Grassroots media Inc. who underscores the importance of ethics in CJ and blogging and the pillars of journalism that citizen journalists should adhere to so they could instill trust and build credibility.
I could not agree more with what he said about honor. He could not have said it better when he said "...unless we act with honor we can't expect people's trust."
So as we traditional journalists and journalist wannabes embrace the new media, it is good to be reminded of the pillars of good journalism that is thoroughness, accuracy, fairness, transparency, and independence.
posted by Karen at 6:39 AM
1 Comments:
Hi Karen,
I think your observation about the Saddam execution video is a sound one. The power of the new media should be tempered by an awareness of the responsibility that comes with its use. While reading your post, I recalled the Pope's comments on Islam and the Prophet Mohammed -- comments which I think were taken out of context and raised an uproar among the Islamic community. Those who covered/wrote about the speech surely were aware of the impact of their coverage/stories. Where there is potential for conflict, regardless of medium, journalists should act responsibly at all times.
Also, to comment on the last part of your post:
"So as we traditional journalists and journalist wannabes embrace the new media, it is good to be reminded of the pillars of good journalism that is thoroughness, accuracy, fairness, transparency, and independence."
I think the new media and the use of it have caused the profession as a whole to take a long, hard look at these journalistic principles and standards. The failings of one medium are the failings of the entire profession. As you say, it is good to take stock. It keeps us all on our toes.
Thanks!
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