SpenniesJournalistic integrity gone the way of the dodo
April 23rd 2007 06:59
Yes, it's true. It really has.
I've always been such a strong advocate for journalistic integrity, with the aspiration of becoming someone like, say, Robert Fisk. So there I'd be, defending journalism to my friends, who all think the media, and journalism especially, is screwed.
But hey, what do you know, they're completely right.
At first I thought that it was only at crappy extablishments where journalistic integrity was swapped for laziness. But then I began working at some 'reputable' establishments, and realised that it was, in fact, the other way around. Having worked at a few crappy establishments in my time, I am always surprised to discover that honesty is not lacking. People do what they're told, and do it reasonably well, and always check their facts. Sure, the quality of the writing may be a bit objectionable, but at least what's being written is true.
Now, take a reputable establishment, such as a big city daily. Not mentioning any names here but since Sydney is blessed with such narrow media diversity there's only really two you can choose from. Now, you can't expect journalistic integrity to come from the Murdoch camp, and if you do then you're stupid. Playing with what's left, and judging by its reputation and readers, the other big paper should be overflowing in journalistic integrity.
But alas, it's not.
For example, quite recently, a reporter decided make up a quote. Yes, that's true. Just made it up. Sure, it was relevant to the story. Sure, it didn't deviate TOO much from what the interview subject originally said. Sure, it was harmless. But it was a lie.
If we go around with the attitude that 'hey, it won't matter because it's not that big a deal' then we run the risk of what philosophers lovingly call the 'slipper slope' argument. If this guy was so careless with an unimportant story, what's to say he's not going to be just as careless with a more important story?
What's to stop him from making up another quote? If he's changing the words of a 23-year-old girl from Paramatta, what's to stop him changing the words of a politician? Or a Muslim cleric? Nothing. His philosophy is decided - he has no problem with making up quotes.
And to be fair to him, he's not alone. I haven't experienced first hand anyone else doing this sort of thing on a major daily, but I have seen people changing the tone of stories to suit their, and the paper's, political direction. And I cried. I cried when I opened the paper the next day and saw my name on a story which was not by me - the words were mine, but they'd been changed around. But what can you do? What can anybody do? You want a job? Sure you do. You going to fight with the editor of a major daily and tell him his journalists have no integrity? Sure you're not.
But we have to draw the line somewhere. Sadly, I'm still deciding where.
I've always been such a strong advocate for journalistic integrity, with the aspiration of becoming someone like, say, Robert Fisk. So there I'd be, defending journalism to my friends, who all think the media, and journalism especially, is screwed.
But hey, what do you know, they're completely right.
At first I thought that it was only at crappy extablishments where journalistic integrity was swapped for laziness. But then I began working at some 'reputable' establishments, and realised that it was, in fact, the other way around. Having worked at a few crappy establishments in my time, I am always surprised to discover that honesty is not lacking. People do what they're told, and do it reasonably well, and always check their facts. Sure, the quality of the writing may be a bit objectionable, but at least what's being written is true.
But alas, it's not.
For example, quite recently, a reporter decided make up a quote. Yes, that's true. Just made it up. Sure, it was relevant to the story. Sure, it didn't deviate TOO much from what the interview subject originally said. Sure, it was harmless. But it was a lie.
If we go around with the attitude that 'hey, it won't matter because it's not that big a deal' then we run the risk of what philosophers lovingly call the 'slipper slope' argument. If this guy was so careless with an unimportant story, what's to say he's not going to be just as careless with a more important story?
And to be fair to him, he's not alone. I haven't experienced first hand anyone else doing this sort of thing on a major daily, but I have seen people changing the tone of stories to suit their, and the paper's, political direction. And I cried. I cried when I opened the paper the next day and saw my name on a story which was not by me - the words were mine, but they'd been changed around. But what can you do? What can anybody do? You want a job? Sure you do. You going to fight with the editor of a major daily and tell him his journalists have no integrity? Sure you're not.
But we have to draw the line somewhere. Sadly, I'm still deciding where.
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Comment by Nickoftime's Sanity Corner
sad but true...yet such an insightful blog! Nothing in journalism is sacred anymore and nothing, it seems, is the exact truth...
Well written and insightful!
Take care,
Nick