Journalism Code of Ethics

Thousands of journalists all over world voluntarily embrace the journalist code of ethics as a critical set of values and guidelines required to be a professional and morally upright journalist. The Society of Journalists (SPJ) says that â€Å"the code is not intended as a set of ‘rules’ but as a resource for ethical decision making†. Because it is not legally enforced, it is up to the integrity of the journalist to uphold the code of ethics. It is not possible to ensure that all journalists abide by the code of ethics.There will be some, who could not stand by their codes, values and integrity when they are in the face of economic and social pressures, and choose to tread the grey areas instead. People do not become bad journalists in a day. It’s a slow fade when black and white is turned to grey. We must be very careful not to give ourselves away to unethical acts, and disregard our morals in order to get a good story or some physical rewards. In Singapor e, we are blessed to have good, ethical journalists, who present very transparent news.The same cannot be said for many journalists in other parts of the world. Breslin’s (1997) study found the following: In Japan, journalists voluntarily and regularly curtail their truth-telling through the practice of self-censorship — not from coercion by the government, but by their own press organizations that cover government. In the People's Republic of China, journalists — like all essential workers — are in the employ of government and pay homage to the truth, but place a lower value on pursuing with any aggressiveness or perseverance.In Korea, journalists most often recognize truth as the word of government, and identify themselves with the elite ruling forces and identify their role as helping to ensure harmony between the rulers and the ruled. Their closeness to government is often measured by the amount of cash in the â€Å"white envelopes† they receiv e from their sources. Journalists cannot live in the clouds, doing what they think is right without pressures being put on them. Often, journalists face pressure from a variety of sources, all trying to make the journalist behave in a way which is not the way the journalist would choose.Journalists are imperfect and fallible. But we must attempt to resist the pressures and take a stand. As such, it is important to review the current journalism code of ethics, and find out whether it is still relevant and sufficient. Indeed, the code of ethics should reflect values, challenges and realities of journalism. However, â€Å"too many of them are mostly lists of do’s and don’ts (usually more don’ts), rather than helpful guides to making ethical decisions in situations that aren’t as simple as the policies sometimes make them† (Buttry, 2010).Also, with much of the articles and stories done on digital social platforms, the current journalism code of ethics is lacking guidelines on the use of social media. The journalism code of ethics attempts to direct journalists from difficult situations but as the saying goes; it is easier said than done. The scenarios portrayed are too vague and unrealistic. A journalist may find himself in various situations where the code of ethics fails to address. As such, the code of ethics is insufficient. I would recommend an update on the code of ethics with new rules to become more applicable to modern day journalism.When using social media as a platform for a story, be aware of the group who might be misrepresented because they do not use social media as often. For the section headlined protecting sources of information; if a journalist assures a source that he would keep the informant’s identity a secret, he must keep his word under all circumstances. I would like to add, do not publish critical opinions from people seeking confidentiality. The motives of sources should always be questioned. Peo ple who wish to express personal opinions in the media should always stand behind their opinion. Objectivity and fairness.A journalist must always be objective when he writes a story. I would like to add, keep an open mind to all views, even views that we are uncomfortable with. It is in reality, harder to write objectively if the subject interest or disgust us. Suppose men like Hitler and Osama bin laden whom many consider to be evil, are still living among us today. And suppose an update comes in and says that Hitler is now confirmed dead! Or Osama bin laden successfully unleashed another major terror act upon innocent citizens. And yet, the journalist must refrain from cheering or groaning in disgust and report fairly.Also, journalists should be fair to all sources. Official and unofficial sources can both be of equal validity. The line between economic pressure and doing a favor can be rather thin at times. The same scenario stated in the study guide; if you work for a small-tim e newspaper, which is in financial difficulties, you might be asked by an advertiser to write an article in favor of a particular product, company or even a person in return for buying advertising space in your newspaper. It will be against the integrity of the journalist to praise said product, company or person if he does not believe in them.He would be yielding to economic pressure if he complies. However, if the same journalist deems the product, company or person to be acceptable to him and the public and thus agrees to do the advertiser the favor, is it still against journalistic ethics? As such, I would propose a new rule; a journalist while in full knowledge that the product, company or person is of little or no benefit to the public, must never promote or write favorably about that product, company or person, to be better than it is. Acceptance of gifts is prohibited. A journalist should not demand payment in cash or in kind for journalistic work.And he cannot accept them e ither, even if they come without demand. This is necessary to ensure fairness and credibility. However, the code of ethics offers no guide regarding how a journalist should donate to support a cause or a political group. A journalist is still a person with rights, and his job does not make him any less of a citizen of a democratic society. Referring to the controversial issue where Keith Olbermann donated $7200 of his own money to three candidates running for public office. The incident resulted in the dismissal of Keith Olbermann from MSNBC.Greener (2010), posted: â€Å"Who among us needs to get their employer's permission before making an open and legal political donation? † The code of ethics does not address how journalists may give, only on what we can or cannot receive. It is understandable, that the very nature of the job views any donations by a journalist to be a bias towards the organization. Thus the need for more transparency. I would propose a new rule: A journal ist may contribute freely to any charitable cause, as long as he does it openly and state the details on any articles related to the topic.What should a journalist do if he were to start a personal blog? In this new digital age, the code of ethics is not sufficient in covering the area of digital social media. Do the same rules apply as if the journalist was writing for an official paper? Can he have freedom of speech in his personal blog? Or is he still held accountable for every word. This new rule should be introduced: A journalist may post freely on his personal blog. But due to the nature of his job, he should not comment on any topics he discussed on his official medium, so that he does not compromise his professional integrity.A journalist should be responsible for whatever he writes. The purpose of reporting objectively and fairly is to ensure as little people as possible get hurt or affected by what we write. Even so, it is inevitable that people can get offended sometimes. So, a journalist must admit mistakes and correct them publicly. Print is not the only platform for journalists. Other mediums include photography, video, graphic art designs, audio etc. Due to the different methods of communication, more rules and guidelines are required.A lack of skill or knowledge about different media should not be an excuse for a lapse in ethics. In conclusion, a journalist is held accountable to his own integrity and morals. The journalism code of ethics is merely a guideline, for journalist to consider when they bump into situations in their professional work. Journalism is not as simple a job as what the general public thinks. Much is required of a journalist; commitment, responsibility, compassion, an inquisitive mind. These are merely the beginning of the many attributes a good journalist requires.Of course, one cannot become a good journalist overnight. A professional journalist is built on confidence acquired through experience, by overcoming obstacles a nd holding onto ethics. References Brislin, T. (March 6-8, 1994). An update on journalism ethics in Asia: Values and practices as context for meaning in Japan, China and Korea. In Jounalism Ethics in Asia. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://www2. hawaii. edu/~tbrislin/asiaeth. html. Buttry, S. (November 7, 2010). Journalist's code of ethics: time for an update?.In The Buttry Diary. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://stevebuttry. wordpress. com/2010/11/07/journalists-code-of-ethics-time-for-an-update/. Greener, R. (November 5, 2010). Keith Olbermann suspended by MSNBC: Like ‘Louie† – I'm shocked! . In The Huffington Post. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://www. huffingtonpost. com/richard-greener/keith-olbermann-suspended_b_779736. html. SPJ Code of ethics. (1996-2012). In Society of Professional Journalists. Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://www. spj. org/ethicscode. asp.

How do you view about the future of Korean Americans in the global Essay

How do you view about the future of Korean Americans in the global context - Essay Example Similar is the case with Korean Americans or if we use proper words â€Å"Americans of Korean Descent†. Korean Americans, despite having lived in America for decades, still maintain their characteristic identity. Koreans always value their Korean identity and origin. They are always proud to learn and speak their own language. The vast majority of Korean Americans are against the idea of inter-racial marriages. Most of the Korean Americans demonstrate a strong sense of ethnic pride, family priority and always prefer to attend a church of Korean ethnicity. The rate at which migration was taking place from Korea to America showed a dramatic decrease during the past ten years. Perhaps the reason behind such drop in immigration rates is the change that was witnessed in South Korea. The rapid economic growth of South Korea which made it the ‘Asian Tiger’ is the main reason behind this change. This phenomenon resulted in a reverse immigration pattern between the two countries. Internationally speaking, as the Korean land shows progress, it is a source of satisfaction and pride form the Korean Americans, since they maintain strong ties with their native land. A number of organizations are busy in improving the relationships between Korean Americans and Native Americans. A general trend has been an improvement seen in the English speaking abilities of the Korean Americans which has ultimately improved their life standards while improving their experience of exposure to the other nations of the world. Slowly, the level of isolation of Korean Americans is declining. From being a separate group of immigrants in a foreign land, they are being transformed into an active part of the American community. The Korean heritage which has been limited to the Koreans themselves is now being shared with Native Americans. A number of Korean festivals are held in American land where Korean people celebrate and

Images of the disabled and the aged in modern Japanese novels Essay

Images of the disabled and the aged in modern Japanese novels - Essay Example The novels are contradictory in that while Oe represents a nuclear family, Ariyoshi depicts a Japanese family with all the three generations living together, however, the transition, though slow, towards a modern society is shown through protagonist’s thoughts. The two novels thus can be compared through their depiction of Japanese families. We shall first discuss ‘A Personal Matter’ by Oe Kenzaburo. Nobel Laureate Oe Kenzaburo (received Nobel Prize in 1994), is a famous novelist who first entered the literary scene in 1958. Despite his initial successes, the real international reputation came to him with ‘A Personal Matter’, a story written with the perspective of a young father, Bird, who has to deal with the fact that his child is a â€Å"monster†. The story draws inspiration from Oe’s personal experience. Oe’s son, Hikari, was born with a severe brain-damage disorder. The story is almost an outlet for Oe to show how he dealt with various feelings when he had to decide about his own â€Å"monster’s† future. No doubt, he chose the protagonist’s way. Bird is a rebellious character to begin with (maybe that is what makes him choose the right path in the end); in the opening chapter, Oe shows how Bird thinks that a child is like a â€Å"cage†. Bird thinks that marriage itself is a cage but with a child, that open cage is now shut down. With his skeptical view of marriage and child, a brain-damaged child proves an ultimate shock. He just cannot believe that his own child is a â€Å"monster†. He is afraid to raise the child; he pities him and resents him. His conflicted emotions that arise as the child’s father and as a normal human being leads the events in the story. Bird goes through feelings of disgust to acceptance in the novel. Initially Bird wants to kill the baby, something that even Oe contemplated for Hikari. When he finds himself unable to do that, he thinks of allowing the child to die a natural

Discuss briefly the need for citation and referencing, and describe Essay

Discuss briefly the need for citation and referencing, and describe the main characteristics of the Harvard System of Referencing, the style favoured by this un - Essay Example Gray et al 2008, p. 114, term the use of proper use of citation and referencing as â€Å"academic integrity†. The reputation of a piece of academic work lies in proper use of citations and references. Any author has a right over the ideas and words present in their work and this right deems that it is morally important to their ideas and work are appropriately attributed, when used by others (Gray et al, 2008). When accurate citation and referencing is done it reflects the integrity of the author, for it shows that the author recognizes the sources and acknowledges these sources. This leads to the importance of referencing in letting others find the original sources used in the work (REFERENCING, 2000). This is why citations and references may be considered as signposts and acknowledgements. The signpost perspective arises from showing the location of the source, while the acknowledgement perspective arises from accepting the indebtedness to the source (Hunter, 2008). Hunter 2008, p.1 gives three reasons why citations and references are important, which are â€Å"ideas are the currency of academia†, â€Å"failing to cite violates the rights of the person who originated the idea and â€Å"academics needs to be able to trace the geneology of ideas†. Referencing in an academic work demonstrates the quality of the work, through the range of ideas that are used and acknowledged and does away with possibility of any charge of plagiarism (University of South Australia, 2007). The quality of work thus becomes another important contribution of proper referencing in a piece of academic work, as it reflects the thoroughness and the diligence of the author and through that contributes to the reputation or impression of the academic work (Glick, 2007). The Harvard System uses an author-date system. There are two places in an academic work that citations and references are used, which are in the

Strategic Fashion Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic Fashion Marketing - Assignment Example The paper "Strategic Fashion Marketing" concerns strategic marketing in fashion. The contemporary fashion market is mainly for clients who are adventurous and aware of the current fashion trend. Contemporary outfits closely look like those seen on the runway only that they are sold at a different price, which is lower. The rise in status of contemporary fashion can be attributed to the changing tastes in artistic things among other factors. There are various marketing trends currently being used to market fashion wear. Technology and new inventions have seen the rise of many marketing strategies that are better and easier. Two contemporary fashion-marketing trends that will be influential over the next five years in the global fashion industry are mobile marketing and e-marketing. These fashion-marketing trends are important for various reasons. Many people have become very busy with daily activities be it official, academic or home chores. For this reason, they have very little time left for social activities including shopping for clothes. Things have been made easier by technology using the internet and mobile facilities like phones. Changing times have seen the rise in the use of these two marketing strategies. Internet has become readily available and this goes for mobile facilities as well. Mobile marketing is important because many people in various regions can be reached. This means that the market base for contemporary fashion is expanded and in turn, more sales are made.

Symbols of Great Religions and Eliade's Concepts Term Paper

Symbols of Great Religions and Eliade's Concepts - Term Paper Example As the report declares Eliade claimed that most of the rituals, mystical experiences and myths involve Coincidentia Oppositorummeaning a ‘coincidence that is opposite’. He refers to this concept as being the pattern of myths. Most of the myths according to Eliade bring out revelations that are twofold. This to him was an expression of the different positions of the opposition that was diametrical to the double divine figures coming up from the same destiny and principle. This happened after a reconciliation of different versions at eschatology illud tempus. The Coincidentia Oppositorum manifests itself in the divinity nature through benevolent, simultaneous, creative, terrible and serpentine ways. According to the research findings Eliade states that Yahweh can manifest himself both as being wrathful and kind. That is the mystical of Christian’s God as being gentle as well as terrible. He also went further to consider the mystic of the Chinese and the Indians as they both tried to have a state that had perfect neutrality and indifference leading to an opposing coincidence where pain and pleasure, repulsion and desire, heat and cold are taken away from God’s awareness. Eliade insists that the appeal of this concept is in the deep dissatisfaction of any man depending on his conditions and situations. According to most of the mythologies, the mythical age fall out led to a significant change in the ontological world structure. Now that Coincidentia Oppositorumentails contradictions, it stands out as a representation of laws of abolition of the world that is fallen. Sacred, Profane and Hierophany The scene where Moses had his shoes off before the ‘burning bushà ¢â‚¬â„¢ is the basis of this concept. Elaide in his writing, states that religion viewed in general rests bringing out a

Explain how the author's writing techniques help to explain the Essay

Explain how the author's writing techniques help to explain the meaning in Oedipus the King - Essay Example as been shown that Oedipus was a man who was known for his rapid speed action as well as a person who possessed a great deal of intellect and fore vision. He could actually look into the future and suggest for others as to what is going to happen next and he was quite good at that. Thus these qualities say a thing or two of him becoming an excellent ruler who foresaw his subjects’ needs and desires. As has been the case during the while of this story, we see that the relation between the different themes, the style and the tone employed have huge roles to play in actually detailing the readers about the story itself. The extent of easiness and calm found in the thematic discussions leads us into thinking that the writer really did the trick while showcasing the virtues, abilities and the like of the central characters in the play and more than that, Oedipus the King himself. The tone with which he has expressed the innate qualities with the help of beautifully chosen words just gives the right amount of tonic for the perfect blend that is so much needed to gel this piece of writing on the part of the writer. Furthermore, the essence of the general flow within the play has been charismatic to say the least, where different events and occasions are passing by without any sense of drag at any point in time. Oedipus’s habit with fast speed movement as concerns to decisions has been well documented in the story itself. The same has been portrayed courtesy the story attached with the King in the related context. Oedipus is doomed by his very own temperament. â€Å"I shall shrink from nothing in my search to find the murderer of Laius†. It was at the time when Creon brings news of Laius’s death that Oedipus does not even let him share what he has come to account for. In its place, Oedipus is on the run to find more and more questions as to what Creon actually knows. Similarly, Oedipus is so twisted on determining the real truth that he starts to threaten the old