Independence From Faction[1]

8/3/2019 Independence From Faction[1]

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FOURTH PRINCIPLE OF JOURNALISM:

Journalists must maintain an independence from those

they cover.

William Safire receiving the President Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush


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WILLIAM SAFIRE

Who was William Safire?

Speech writer for President Nixon.

What makes his story unique?

Moved from a political party writer to a journalist. Why would this be a difficult transition?


4/26

JOURNALISTIC LOYALTY AGAIN

Where does loyalty liewith your old personal friends

and colleagues, with your political ideology or party,with your news medium, with the cold factsor withThe Truth?

Why did people love following and working with

Safire?

They found someone independent, true to a set

of ideas rather than a member of a team,

someone who put his readers first.


5/26

MINDSET OF A JOURNALIST

Though a journalist must play a role of balance, their

job should not have to make them neutral toopinions.

It is the spirit and mind, rather than neutrality, thatjournalists must keep in focus.

Playing it straight does not mean striking a balance of

space or time. When one side of controversymakes newsissues a survey or holds an eventits not the reporters job to dig up the people who

will shoot it down and give them equal attention.

Safire.


6/26

INDEPENDENCE OF MIND

Comment is free but facts are sacred.

Journalist vs. Doing Journalism Does the work proceed from an adherence to the

principles of truthfulness, an allegiance to citizensand community at large, and to informing rather thanmanipulating concepts that set journalism apartfrom other forms of communication? Elements ofJournalism

Maggie Gallagher

Have to reveal conflict of interest


7/26

THE EVOLUTION OF INDEPENDENCE

Move from fealty to political party toward public

interest

New compact without a hidden agenda

Editorials/political opinion set apart

Standard journalistic ethics formed

21st Century: Will technology underminejournalistic independence?


8/26

INDEPENDENCE IN PRACTICE

Linda Greenhouse and Freedom of Choice rally

Press bias

Strict rules against participating in partisanpolitical activity

Morning News Tribute

Daily Ledger

Personal blogs


9/26

INDEPENDENCE REEVALUATED

Columnist George Will withRonald Reagan

Conrad Black & $25,000


10/26

MORALITY/ETHICS OF JOURNALISM SUBJECTIVE AND

INVALID

My business is my business. Got it?

Little moral thermometers

Undermines journalists as activists


11/26

DECEPTION CONT..

Journalists write speeches and appraise themafterwards. Ex:

William Kristol with John McCain

Charles Krauthammer & Kristol with George Bush

Benefits both parties


12/26

CHALLENGES TO TRADITIONAL RULES:

Concerned citizen as a journalist

Advocacy with careful execution

Independent experts AKA Party surrogates

Ex: Fox News as conservative mediaJournalism of Affirmation

Journalism of Opinion


13/26

Bias in hosts does not damage accuracy

Relationships with intervieweesWomen in the work-place

Citizens deserve disclosure

Overall, serious in commitments andresponsibilities, no matter the personal

discomforts and inconvenience.


14/26

INDEPENDENCE FROM CLASS AND ECONOMIC

STATUS

The public feel a class divide between those who

produce the news and those who receive it Juan Gonzalez, New York Daily News columnist.

The poor and the working class are consideredless important in the society.


15/26

INDEPENDENCE FROM CLASS AND ECONOMIC

STATUS

Class isolation reinforced by targeting elite

demographics People feel that the press isalienating them, rather than acting on theirbehalf.

Solution: hire people from different classes and

backgrounds provide different perspectives.


16/26

INDEPENDENCE FROM RACE, ETHNICITY, RELIGION AND

GENDER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfmhBT08Nhk

Diversity in the newsroom?Should only African Americans cover African

Americans? Should disabled men only coverdisabled men?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfmhBT08Nhkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfmhBT08Nhk


17/26

INDEPENDENCE FROM RACE, ETHNICITY, RELIGION

AND GENDER

The argument for diversity based on

representation at its core, presupposes thatpersons of the same race and gender think alikebecause of their shared experiences of racismand sexism. It ignores influence of class,

education, region, family, religion, etc. inshaping personal ideas and beliefs Peter Bell


18/26

INDEPENDENCE FROM RACE, ETHNICITY, RELIGION

AND GENDER

Newsroom diversity: create an intellectually mixedenvironment where everyone holds firm to theideas of journalistic independence.


19/26

LOYALTY TO THE PUBLIC

A journalist is a committed observer

Journalists are interdependent

The press creates a common language understood

by everyone in the community

Reporters remain independent without becoming

isolatedE.g.: Sarasota Herald-Tribunes program ReaderAdvocate


20/26

Having an opinion is not only allowable, not only

natural, but it is also valuable to the naturalskepticism with which any good reporter approachesa story. But a journalist must be smart enough torecognize that opinion must be based on something

more substantial than personal beliefs if it is to be ofjournalistic use. (Elements of Journalism, pg. 136-7)


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WHAT IS THE FOURTH PRINCIPLE OF JOURNALISM?

A.Journalists must be excellent writers

B.Journalists must listen to public opinion.

C.Journalists must maintain an independencefrom those they cover.

D.Journalists must be not hold opinions.


23/26

WHICH PRESIDENT WAS WILLIAM SAFIRE ASPEECHWRITER FOR?A. President Nixon

B. President Carter

C. President Reagan

D. President Clinton


24/26

WHO WAS MAGGIE GALLAGHER?

A.A reporter who failed to disclose that she was

hired to promote Bushs marriage initiative

B.A reporter who was fired for keeping a blog

C.A popular broadcast personality

D.The person who said Comment is free butfacts are sacred.


25/26

JOURNALISM OF OPINION IS OPEN WITH BOTH

INTENT AND ALLEGIANCE TO A SET OF

INTELLECTUAL PRINCIPLES.

A.True

B.False


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WHAT IS THE NAME OF SARASOTAS HERALD-TRIBUNE

PROGRAM FOR THEIR REPORTERS?

A. Knight Ridder

B. Reader Advocate

C. Public Opinion for Journalists

D. None of the above

Documents

Independence From Faction[1]