A Necessary Message

From a media stanpoint the image that the newspapers or other print mediums choose to accompany stories can make or break a page. The photo is usually the first part of the paper that catches a reader’s eye and entices them to investigate the article further. Chances are a dull and lifeless photo will not bring a reader in and therefore not encourage them to look any further. Photos can help to tell the story, but they can also hurt a story if the image gives the wrong idea. The photographer and editors must be careful to select photos that fit within the limits of the story. If the photo seems to stray from the story then this can be just as bad as a reporter misrepresenting a story. The most important photo in the paper and the first thing a person will  see are the front page photos. Naturally the photo must be powerful enough to draw the reader in and capture their attention, but at the same time an image that is too powerful can offend the reader and maybe even cause embarassment. On Monday when we watched the film on photo-journalism it was obvious just by looking around the room that each person reacts differently to different subjects. For example, when the picture of bodies hanging from a bridge was flashed on the screen some people were against photographs of such a violent nature. Not that anyone is for violence, but I think that it was necessary to portray such an image because it really helps to get the message across that there is a problem and that not everything is perfect and happy. People are dying in wars and natural disasters. I don’t necessarily think that corpses should be splayed all over the front page, but I do think it is important not to sugar coat things for people. Too often we become enveloped in our own little cocoons unaware of outside events. Powerful images can sometimes evoke embarassment, shock, disgust, outrage, and many other emotions. However, I think our nation needs to be shocked into reality. In most cases photographers are doing us a service by letting us know what is out there and that the violence and deaths are real. I think that in very few cases the motive is just to sell more papers. It was obvious from the film that photographers and editors have very heavy debates about shocking photos. If there is death and violence occuring then the public needs to know and more importantly the photo needs to portray the seriousness or magnitude of the events. Naturally there are limits as to how far one should go, but I think photos can emphasize events without being too morbid or in poor taste.  Sometimes it is crucial to include shomething that might shock most people. If we are shocked then I see this as a good thing because it indicates that we are not insensitive and that we are being made aware of the reality that is out there.

Drawing the Line

In a day when law suits are all around us and everyone is jumping to sue the next person, it can be a difficult task to decipher when to include information and when to avoid disclosing certain things. Sometimes a person might think that it is important to convey all of the facts, but others will disagree saying that too much information proved to be harmful. On the other hand too little information can be just as bad. In Chapter 3 Bujega discusses truthful disclosures in the media. Bugeja comes to the consensus that people should avoid omitting facts and details that could be pertinent to the understanding of a story or cast a different shadow on the story. Bugeja also stresses the importance of clarifying boundaries with a client or source, to ensure that all parties are on the same page. Although it seems like always doing the right thing should be a relatively easy task, it seems like quite the contrary to me. Everyday that I work on a story, in which I have to interview people, I am constantly on guard about what information I include and which informaiton I leave out. Of course it is important to be honest and not include fabrications in a story, but misrepresenting a source or a piece of information can be just as fatal. Even a person’s greatest intentions can be misguided if the person does not have an understanding of what they are going into with a certain story. I think Bugeja has the right idea when he stresses the importance of checking with a source or client to make sure everything is correct and being portrayed in a way that is as accuarate as possible. When I first started writing news articles I believed that I was doing the right thing as long as I gave every side some time in the spotlight and quoted them accurately. Now I find that reporting truthfully has many more elements than that. Now when I write a story I try to find the soul or the focus of the story and try not to stray from the issues at hand. Giving sources time is important, but it is also vital to recognize when you are being led astray. Keeping a safe distance from personal attachment and picturing the soul of the story before I delve into it has proved to be crucial. If you think something needs to be fact checked or might need more information then it probably does. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Lessons from Low Points

Most of the negative or low points in my life are experiences that later turned into good things that I still carry with me to this day. They are more or less battle scars that have given me a thicker skin and transformed my views of life into positive ones. The first traumatizing experience of my life was perhaps one of the most influential experiences. When I was 5-years-old my parents decided to end their troubled marriage. My mother left us and my dad took me live with his family. I did not see my mother for about a year after the divorce and my visitation with her was limited. Being raised by my father forever changed my life and gave me a very different outlook from most girls I grew up with. It was challenging and there were difficult hurdles but I realized from an early age that things could be difficult. When my father and I moved away we had no house and very little money. My dad had to start life over again. I realized that even though life can bring you hard times,  through hard work and sacrifices you can overcome challenges.   When I was in eighth grade my father found out he had cancer. This was another turning point in my life that made me realize that I took many people in my life for granted.  It was a difficult time for my dad and for our family. He was very lucky, however, and he has been in remission for over five years. Before my dad got sick I was going through my rebellious and difficult teenage years. My dad’s illness provided a wake-up call for me and made me realize that my family is important and that I was taking things for granted and taking advantage of the people that loved me. Ever since that time I place my family and above all others and I am very close to my father. I am also grateful to be alive and to experience each new day. Another turning point was when I was in highschool. When I entered highschool I was very unprepared which resulted in poor grades. My worried parents enlisted the help of a highschool teacher who helped me get my act together. My teacher stressed the importance of highschool and developing habits for being effective in college. If it had not been for my highschool I don’t think I would have the determination or drive that I have today. I realized even though I had to work harder than alot of students I could still achieve any goal I desired. A peak experience in my life was when my dad met my stepmother. She is a key figure in my life and has also been influential in helping me realize my goals in life. She is my second mother and she pushes me to achieve all of my aspirations. Throughout my life the people that have been permanent fixtures as well as those that have passed through my life have given me insight on how I should and should not be living. Every person I have encountered in my life has helped mold me into who I am today. I try to pull the good out of even the most negative situation and make it something I can grow from.

How far is too far?

Chapter 3 discusses judgement calls and different situations in which photo-journalists had to judge whether or not to publish certain pictures or to even make a photo opportunity out of a situation. With any kind of media editors and higher ups are looking for news that sells. News that sells most often involves death, scandal, and uncomfortable situations. While the photographer or journalist may be doing their job in taking pictures for these sorts of stories they also have to take into account what kind of harm they could be causing for publishing this type of material. One of the examples used was a photographer who was taking pictures after a 17-year-old boy drowned. There were many pictures of the boy’s body and attempts to revive him. There were also pictures of the boy’s grieving family. By printing pictures of the boy the photographer could be causing possible harm and emotional distress to his family. Instead of focusing on the boy the photographer chose to use pictures of the boy’s grieving family. In situations that could cause a person distress or embarrassment I think it would be difficult to decide on saving the subject of the pictures or selling more stories. If I were the photographer I think I would put myself in the position of the subject of the picture. Would I want someone to publish pictures of me in my moments of raw emotion? While tradegy and scandal sell it is important to have respect for other human beings. In another example a photographer took pictures of a couple making out on a dock. The couple had no idea or at least no concern about being watched in their private moment. The photographer snapped the picture and moved on. Later in the story that photographer uses the photo in an exhibit. A friend of the couple saw the photo and relayed to the photographer that the couple was embarassed about their candid moment being displayed. I think this situation is not as serious as the drowning death, but is still something to be considered. If you would be embarassed or hurt by certain pictures or events then chances are that another person would be as well. If a photographer feels any hestiancy to use photo I think the best policy would be to talk to the subjects of the photos to ensure that the photo opportunity will not cause them any permanent damge. Then again sometimes it is necessary for the photo-journalist to work under pressure and do things that others might not like. At the end of the day it is up to the photographer to decide how well they will sleep at night with the work they have done. It comes down to whether their job or their ethics are more important and of course the type of situation they are photographing.

Getting the Whole Picture

On Wednesday the class discussion on reposnsible reporting made me examine my own ideas of unbiased, yet repsonsible reporting. Although the reporter is the story had a tight deadline and had very little time to interview people, she failed to do all of her fact checking. I think that given her time limit her work was acceptable. She covered the issues at hand, however I think she should have gone back to her editor and told the editor that there was more to the story. This way the editor could have determined whether or not to run the story and write additional follow-up stories or to get more information and write one big story. It is difficult to say whether or not the reporter in the story was wrong becasue she did not incorrectly use facts, she worked with what she had. I think after this story she should have done a follow-up story that further investigated the accusations and had a more in-depth look at the different sides of the case. When reporting it is important to realize that there are deeper things to be investigated besides the facts on the surface. Chances are that if you feel there is more to the story, then there probably is.  It might be painting an inaccurate picture to present only part of the facts or to only skim the surface. It would be like putting together only half of a puzzle and expecting the viewer to see the whole picture. Chances are that the viewer might be able to guess what the picture is, but then again they may not be able to envision what the other half shows. It is a reporter’s job to make sure they put the whole puzzle together so that the viewer is getting the most accurate portrayal as possible. Perhaps the editor in the story planned to run additional coverage of the article, but just wanted to get the first pieces out into the public.

Pressure

The handout we were given entitled “Filtering and Pressure from Media Conglomerates” was interesting becasue it dealt with balancing a career and keeping ethics is check. The broadcaster in the story was asked, by his boss, to fabricate a lie for a story. The guy in the story had serious qualms about telling the lie, but proceeded to work on the story in order to avoid serious backlashing for not doing what his job required of him.  I think that everyone, who is going into a career in the media, hopes that their bosses will be fair and will assign them wonderful stories. However, not everyone is perfect and everyday people are asked to do things that go against their ethical  and moral boundaries. It is seldom that we think of ourselves in situations like these, but important to ponder them because it could happen to anyone. After reading this piece I imagined myself having to choose between the job of my dreams and possibly ending that job, or causing problems, if I was asked to do something that I felt was wrong. Chances are that if you feel something is wrong and it will cause harm, then it probably will. Once something is out there on the air or in print it is pretty difficult to take back. If I was in a compromising situation,such as this, I would voice my concerns to the higher ups. If they failed to respect my wishes I think I would rather give up my job than tell a lie that will never go away. It is much better to stick with the truth even if it costs you relationships or a job. You can find another job, but rebuilding your conscience and your reputation seem like much more difficult tasks. The guy in the story should have realized that his obligation was to tell the viewer to truth. By telling a lie he is doing the viewer and himself an injustice.

Objectivity

Is it possible for journalists to remain objective and what exactly does objectivity entail? The article “Objectivity in an Interconnectecd World” poses this question and provides solutions as to how journalists can remain as objective as possible. As a journalist I think it is very important to tell both sides of the story, but giving each side story telling time is not enough. The journalist has to explore the issues at hand, and while it is important to get all sides of a story, they should not focus on giving everyone equal playing time just because they want to remain objective. The journalist has to get to the meat of the story by exploring facts and not just relying on what the sources are offering. However, I think that it is impossible to remain entirely objective because everyone has an opinion and everyone is a little biased. I think it is human nature. For example if I am reporting on an oil spill I will want to get the sides of both the community and the oil company while relying mainly on the facts at hand. Even though this is deemed to be objective reporting I am still biased becasue I live in a coastal community and I think the oil company is lying and doing a great disservice to wildlife. I agree with the article that a journalist’s loyalty should be to the story and the reader. A journalist’s job is to ensure that the people are getting a picture that is as accurate as possible. Opinions are always going to be present in stories but it is important not to let those overshadow the facts. I think it is impossible to remain completely objective. A quote that I heard just today perfectly sums up my thoughts about opinions creeping into journalism. “Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one.” Although I laugh at this thought, it is true because we all have opinions on one thing or another, but what is important is that we don’t let those define or overshadow our work. Journalist’s should not be assholes, but they should allow the facts to lead and then opinions to provide a background narrative.

Sting Operations

It is difficult to define the rights of child predators because predators are going against what society has deemed ethical behavior. While I believe that people are entitled to a certain amount of privacy, I believe that people give up that right when they choose to break the law and prey on children. It is hard to say what the right decision about setting up sting operations for predators is.  It can be argued that predators have rights to privacy and protection. However, it can also be argued that if the predators are going to put themselves out there on the web then they deserve to be punished. Pictures of drunk drivers  and criminals are posted in local newspapers and on websites, so why shouldn’t predators be exposed? The public has a right to know what threats its children are facing. It is up to the journalist to help expose these threats. Perverted-Justice. com is a legitimate and well researched site. I could understand complaints if someone posted a site that blindly made accusations. It is our job to research carefully and to make sure that people know what sort of characters are in our communities.  As long as the journalist does not make any false accusations  or mispresent the information then I believe it is necessary to expose predators as well. If sting operations are the way that justice has to be served then it needs to be served. I believe it is far better to know who the predators are than to have them protected and continuing to pose a threat to children. Yes, exposing predators is risky business and the journalist must be careful in presenting the information. As long as it is done in a carefully researched way then I believe it is for the best.