Ethical Journalism Weekly Roundup: May 28, 2014
Navigating Isla Vista’s Recent Tragedy as a Student Photojournalist
I am having difficulty reconciling my responsibilities as both a resident of Isla Vista and a photojournalist. I want to accurately report the news, because to omit details is to do a disservice to the innocent victims of this tragedy. At the same time, I also want to respect wishes of the families and friends of those victims, who want nothing more than privacy in their moment of grief. (via The Bottom Line)
[VIDEO] The ‘All-Out Propaganda War’ in Ukraine
The coverage has been dismissed as “propaganda” in the West – but you do not have to go all the way to Moscow to find biased journalism. Western news outlets have also been criticised for reflecting, even parroting, what their domestic political leaders have been saying about this crisis. Our News Divide this week looks at the biased coverage on both sides of the Ukrainian story. (via Aljazeera)
PBS Needs To “Not Get In The Way Of Reporters Or Photographers Covering News”
The handcuffing of a protester in the lobby of a major hotel is a news story—not a PBS story—and taking pictures of the event is part of that news story. To say that “our procedure is for communications staff to manage interactions with reporters” and to “wait until a PR staff member could arrive” is like telling someone not to take pictures of an airplane crashing until the company PR person arrives. (via PBS Ombudsman)
Who Are You Calling A Fact-Checker?
Fact-checkers and fact-checking organizations aim to increase knowledge by re-reporting and researching the purported facts in published/recorded statements made by politicians and anyone whose words impact others’ lives and livelihoods. Fact-checkers investigate verifiable facts, and their work is free of partisanship, advocacy and rhetoric. (via The American Press Institute)
The FCC, Net Neutrality, and Corporate Power
We don’t need FCC rule changes that benefit giant corporations. We need an FCC that lives up to its original mission of protecting the public interest. We are now in a “public discussion” period until July so ordinary citizens can voice their opinions of the FCC’s proposed corporate-friendly policies regarding Net Neutrality. (via Huffington Post)
The Science Of Science Writing
The fundamental difference between writing about social sciences and science and technology is in the use of analogous examples to explain and elucidate a point or a view. While employing an analogous example enriches our understanding in social sciences, it may backfire as in the case of Subashree’s report because of extreme specificity of each subject. An analogy in a science story forces the writer to add annotations and afterwards to explain the intended meaning. (via The Hindu)
Women On The Frontline: Female Photojournalists’ Visions Of Conflict
Women are coming to the fore in a profession long dominated by men, and telling stories their male counterparts couldn’t get. Four leading female photographers talk about their work. (via The Guardian)
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Photo credit: Sodanie Chea