...Because public relations has roots in journalism and many of its practitioners were once journalists, there is an unfortunate tendency to apply journalism standards to public relations. It is, however, misguided and unfair to both professions. Despite using similar skills, the two fields are fundamentally different and seek different ends. Their ethical standards are also very different. That should not be interpretted as meaning that one of them is better than or worse than the other; they're just different, and it is important to understand those differences. PR and journalism have some similarities, but . . . The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) ethical guidelines all agree about the importance and value of such key concepts as truth, accuracy, fairness, human rights, freedom of speech, and democratic principles. But, that can be somewhat misleading. The underlying differences between public relations and journalism are far more basic and far more critical than these similarities in what they value. According to their own professional codes and standards, there are fundamental differences in whom they represent and whose well-being they most directly serve. DIFFERENCES!!! Journalism serves the general public, and journalists are expected to act in the public's best interests even if such actions have detrimental effects on their employers. ...
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...2.1.1. Introduction of Key Definitions and Concepts According to KOTHARI, C.R., (2014) explain the aim of the Literature Reviews as ‘The basic outcome of this review will be the knowledge as to what data and other materials are available for operational purposes which will enable the researcher to specify his own research problem in a meaningful context” This brief review of the literature provides an overview of the research focuses on the study on how far social media affects the mainstream media journalism ethical principles which include truth, fairness, balance, objectivism and accuracy as a key elements of professionalism and how the journalist used social media in their dail activities. Aim of reviewing literature...
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...live in a perfect world. We live in a world where gossip passes for news, and sensationalism passes for journalism” (Bernhardt, Naked Justice). This quote shows that not because the media publishes something does it mean that it is important or relevant to current events since the media manipulates and publishes what it wants for selfish purposes. The media is also a business, and like any business, its goal is to make profits, and sometimes it uses questionable tactics to do it, for instance, publishing inappropriate content, intentionally omitting facts, and including insignificant and irrelevant information. There are situations in which the media publishes obscene, harmful, vulgar, and offensive...
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...writings of national leaders. The newspapers, particularly, served in conscientizing literate and educated people about the need for social reforms and political independence. Until 1950, the newspapers no doubt, served in inspiring people of the country towards a change in their thinking about social transformation, economic empowerment and the establishment of a strong foundation for democracy. But in recent decades, a decline in the functioning of the press/media has set in. This paper attempts to present a glimpse of events through which the all types of media have passed. Reference is also made to the recent technological changes in our media world and the serious ethical questions they have raised about media’s performance. Introduction Authentic and available sources describe the birth of Indian journalism in 1780 with Hicky’s Gazette (James August...
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...considered their written word. Professionals often struggle with befriending clients or co-workers. Subordinates sometimes feel pressure when their bosses request friendships. The Social Media frenzy has given professionals the opportunity to communicate with clients online but the rules of confidentiality are sometimes vague. Mass media and ethics in today’s society raises many concerns as decisions are made daily involving ethics and such decisions possess the ability to impact the lives of millions of people, whom read, watch, listen, or browse through a media source outlet. To prevent a formal code of ethics from being broken through mass media, in this case-social media, it is important to understand ethical compliance, especially in the workplace. I. Legal and Ethical Issues associated with Social Media A. Privacy Policies 1. Copyright, Piracy and Libel are all issues directly associated with the ethics of social media. Using someone else’s words or speaking negatively about someone in a way that harms their reputation presents a gray area for social media users. 2. Websites are often constructed to defame someone’s character. There is virtually no way to keep people from going live with these sites. Minimal judgments have been issued mandating the removal of defaming information from websites. II. Social Media and Educational Facilities A. Student Confidentiality 1. Educational Facilities have the responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of the...
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...picture. The best photojournalists will not only capture an image that tells the story, but the images also have to be aesthetically pleasing, include some action and take in emotion. Photojournalists take their images from interesting angles, and they provide depth of field that catches the eye of those who are viewing it. But there is more to being a photojournalists than just a storyteller and an artist, they also have to decide when taking a photo is going too far, and when it is necessary to telling a story. The artistic elements only scratch the surface of the complexities of being effective photojournalists. These storytellers must look out for touchy subjects and taste, and they look to balance effective journalism with good taste. Ethics is a major part of journalism. The images are extremely powerful, as they get to a lot of people and are responsible for shaping culture in various ways. The types of judgment calls that occur with photojournalism are represented through images such as those that were captured when people jumped off the side of the World Trade Centre when the building was on fire after the terrorist attacks. Other tough calls include the Vietnam war, when a naked girl walked down the street covered in napalm. These images have been burned into the minds of so many people throughout the world and they are all because of one horrifying look. Some of these photos are so powerful that they can change the way a society views a situation, such as the way the public...
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...Impact onJournalism and NewsMedia Organizations Senior Capstone ThesisBy Ruth Harper TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 2INTRODUCTION 2LITERATURE REVIEW 3METHOD 7 RESULTS 8 Circumstances Surrounding Traditional MediaExplanation of Social Media and Social JournalismSocial Media ToolsMySpaceDiggFacebook TwitterCurrent Event Case StudiesMumbai attacks (2008)Bozeman, Mont., explosion (2009)Iran Protests (2009)Fort Hood shootings (2009)Ethics, Journalism and Social Media The Future of Journalism: Social Media‟s Continuing Effects on News CONCLUSIONS 20 WORKS CITED 22 APPENDIX 26 Interview Transcript ABSTRACT The purpose of this senior capstone research project is to report on how the social mediarevolution has changed and will continue to change journalism. By examining news and broadcastorganizations, a researcher can obtain a clear view into how the so-called social media revolution came about and what‟s in store for the journalism‟s future. This report focuses on one central, simple question: What impact has social media had on journalism, and how will this impact affect the future of news andinformation? Anyone in communications knows how quickly the field is changing. As more people becomeinvolved with social media, journalists and media professionals need to understand not only what socialnetworking Web sites are, but also how news audiences use them to obtain information fromorganizations and from friends, how these organizations can —and should— leverage these sites...
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...Wikileaks Even though, it uses the “wiki” technology, Wikileaks is completely independent from Wikipedia or any Wikimedia services. It is a combination of high-tech security, free journalism and ethical principles. At the beginning, it was very similar to Wikipedia, people from all over the world could share the information, opinions and news with everyone, but since the new beginning in 2010, the things have changed. Now, the news and confidential reports that are coming from all over the world are double checked and analyzed by Wikileaks journalist. After they read them, they verify them and decide whether they are “important” enough to be published. Sometimes, those documents are so confidential, they need to delay their publication, or wait for some significant time to pass, so they could protect people who are mentioned in them and so they could save innocent lives of people who are mentioned in documents (WikiLeaks, 2010). As I already said, Wikileaks has no head-quarter. Organization is financed with the money of people with good will. The main goal of this revolutionary organization is to keep their sources anonyms. Even though, there have already been some problems. Earlier this year, a 20 years old student hacked into Sarah Palin’s e-mail. Later on, he was arrested and convicted of fraud and obstruction of justice after WikiLeaks published e-mails. Furthermore, the lawyers are now trying to build a defense of Bradley Manning, who has sent an extremely graphic...
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...Chapter 5 Corruption and the watchdog role of the news media Sheila Coronel The notion of the press as watchdog is more than 200 years old. Yet the idea of vigilant media monitoring government and exposing its excesses has gained new traction in many parts of the world. Globalization, the fall of authoritarian and socialist regimes, and the deregulation of the media worldwide have fuelled a renewed interest in ––as well as a surge in efforts by various groups to support–– “watchdogging” by the media. Since the late 17th Century, classical liberal theorists had argued that publicity and openness provide the best protection from the excesses of power. The idea of the press as Fourth Estate, as an institution that exists primarily as a check on those in public office, was based on the premise that powerful states had to be prevented from overstepping their bounds. The press working independently of government, even as its freedoms were guaranteed by the state, was supposed to help ensure that this was so. The 1980s and 1990s saw the revival of this centuries‐old notion and its application especially to “transition societies” then emerging from the ruins of socialist and authoritarian regimes. It had resonance among citizens facing pervasive corruption, weak rule of law, and predatory or incompetent governments unable to deliver basic services. Today even in countries ...
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...Chapter 5 Corruption and the watchdog role of the news media Sheila Coronel The notion of the press as watchdog is more than 200 years old. Yet the idea of vigilant media monitoring government and exposing its excesses has gained new traction in many parts of the world. Globalization, the fall of authoritarian and socialist regimes, and the deregulation of the media worldwide have fuelled a renewed interest in ––as well as a surge in efforts by various groups to support–– “watchdogging” by the media. Since the late 17th Century, classical liberal theorists had argued that publicity and openness provide the best protection from the excesses of power. The idea of the press as Fourth Estate, as an institution that exists primarily as a check on those in public office, was based on the premise that powerful states had to be prevented from overstepping their bounds. The press working independently of government, even as its freedoms were guaranteed by the state, was supposed to help ensure that this was so. The 1980s and 1990s saw the revival of this centuries‐old notion and its application especially to “transition societies” then emerging from the ruins of socialist and authoritarian regimes. It had resonance among citizens facing pervasive corruption, weak rule of law, and predatory or incompetent governments unable to deliver basic services. Today even in countries ...
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...Frank Whelan, a writer for the Morning Call, was recently faced with an ethical dilemma. After attending a gay rights parade back in June 2006, Whelan received some criticism from the public. The ethical case study that I have chosen for my essay underlines the importance of conflict of interest, and independence. His attendance raised the question of what is and isn’t conflict of interest. His newspaper does not allow employees from taking part in “public demonstrations in favor of or opposed to a cause”. Whelan and his long-time partner Bob Wittman attended the parade together as grand marshals. His editors warned Whelan that his participation would be a conflict, breach of the code, and that there would be “consequences”. As journalist I believe we must remain independent from those we cover and Whelan should not of attended this parade because it makes him less reliable as a journalist. It is very important for us to refrain from letting our race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or ego determine how we present a story. These pre-conceived notions could really hinder ones career and reliability because you now display a possible biased. Although I advocate for gay rights, I understand how attending this parade could cause conflict of interest. The question in...
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...“The use of professionalism normally is linked in our field with the expression of a need to improve occupational standing.” (Piezka & L’Etang, 2006, 270). Discuss this in the light of professionalism in the public relations industry Professionalism in public relations is a multifaceted construct that discusses the ethical standards and skills required for PR practitioners and some of the criteria that are central to the profession are a body of knowledge, ethical practice, certification, importance to society and review by peers (Grunig & Hunt, 1984). The core professional value that serves as the ethos for the whole profession is the foremost among these criteria (Grunig, 2000), however, some practitioners discount it for its lack of pragmatics due to failing to master communication techniques that are known by the average citizen, people today who call themselves public relations practitioners still do not measure up to professional standards and lack of training (J. Grunig & L. Grunig, 1992; Grunig & Hunt, 1984; Dozier, Grunig, & Grunig, 1995). Several issues are identified from this definition for the core professional value that serves as the ethos for professionalism in PR. The issues shall be the discussion of the use of professionalism in the PR industry. As PR is a specialised professional occupation encompassed with its own set of values and beliefs, debates on the role of the professionalism development and education are inevitable among the public...
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...THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN DEEPENING DEMOCRACY SHEILA S. CORONEL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Since the 17th century, the role of the press as Fourth Estate and as a forum for public discussion and debate has been recognized. Today, despite the mass media’s propensity for sleaze, sensationalism and superficiality, the notion of the media as watchdog, as guardian of the public interest, and as a conduit between governors and the governed remains deeply ingrained. The reality, however, is that the media in new and restored democracy do not always live up to the ideal. They are hobbled by stringent laws, monopolistic ownership, and sometimes, the threat of brute force. State controls are not the only constraints. Serious reporting is difficult to sustain in competitive media markets that put a premium on the shallow and sensational. Moreover, the media are sometimes used as proxies in the battle between rival political groups, in the process sowing divisiveness rather than consensus, hate speech instead of sober debate, and suspicion rather than social trust. In these cases, the media contribute to public cynicism and democratic decay. Still, in many fledgling democracies, the media have been able to assert their role in buttressing and deepening democracy. Investigative reporting, which in some cases has led to the ouster of presidents and the fall of corrupt governments, has made the media an effective and credible watchdog and boosted its credibility among the public. Investigative reporting...
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...some form and want our news as fast as possible. The more horrific the story, the more interest is generated in knowing the outcome. Nature of the controversy In 2009, a young dating couple had a physical fight that made national news. The couple in question- music superstars Chris Brown and Rihanna. Every paper covered the assault and had pictures of the bloodied Rihanna with blackened eye, split lip, and bite marks. The scandal percolated to an all-time high and Chris Brown was charged with assault. Later the public would discover the charges were for sexual assault. Many celebrities have misunderstandings and some have been victims. Controversy sells and we want to know what happened- the media is willing to oblige. Traditional journalism The traditional factors of newsworthiness include proximity, future impact, prominence, conflict, human interest, and timeliness. According to John Vivian “ not only do people in their contemporary lifestyles need mass media, but the industries that have built up around media need an audience” (Vivian, 2011, p. 6). News for the public has the following ideology, “news is based on some inherent bias: the media role as watchdog, and a lack of responsibility for creating news by being accountable for presenting facts but nothing else” (Glaser, 1992, p. 176-177) Subjective news This can encompass biases, instill the premise that public opinion matters and the public can benefit from a thorough discussion on the subject; more so when the...
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...law multiple questions need to be asked. Where do freelance journalists, bloggers and students fall under these laws? Do you have to be paid in exchange for your work? In the age of an ever-changing media landscape these are important questions to ask. Recently, a shield law was introduced to the Senate. The original text of the law had a long litmus test someone had to pass before they qualified as a journalist. This included being a salaried employee of a news organization and took into account the length of time they have been employed. Critics believed the bill needed to cover “acts of journalism”, as opposed to limiting it to professional journalists. The bills primary sponsor, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, said the bill should only cover “real journalists.” Sen. Chuck Schumer, a co-sponsor of the bill, disagreed, saying “The world has changed… there are people who write and do real journalism, in different ways than we’re used to. They should not be excluded from this bill.” These provisions were eventually taken out and judges were given the most of the power in deciding who qualifies. Still, employment by a media organization is still a central theme in the law, defined as having an “employment relationship” with a news organization for one year in the past twenty years or three months in the past five years, or having a “substantial track record” of freelance work. However with just days left in the 113th Congress, it is unlikely that anything is going to pass in the House...
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