On Ethics in Journalism
Ethics plays a major part in every profession. But I think no other profession utilizes it more than in journalism, as each step in the journalistic process involves making crucial calls, and journalism can have a great power on people’s lives.
In their separate essays, Freedman, Day, Kovach & Rosenstiel have made use of similar or related descriptions of ethics, which they have explained as a system of thought that involves a dilemma or issue, a thorough assessment of the issue, and the weighing of the possible outcomes of one’s response to it.
I have come to understand ethics as one’s “internal compass”, which should always strive to do what is right and just. I’ve also come to associate the word “unethical” with “a thing or situation which is not right or just,” and something a good, responsible person will avoid at all costs.
For journalists, the stakes are higher to always observe this compass. As Day puts it, since journalists “often make pronouncements on the ethics of others… it follows that their own moral conduct must be sound.”
-
I’m fairly new to journalism. I began my career only five years ago, when I landed a job as a segment producer in one of the biggest television networks in the Philippines. It was a dream job of sorts, and I was excited to be a part of the industry.
My excitement was, however, diminished when I realized that 50% of a journalist’s work involved (making) difficult decisions, most of which would have a great effect on not just myself, but other people as well.
And as I transitioned to print and online media (as a freelance writer/ photographer), the decisions got harder, because now, I only had myself to rely on (and no production team to pull me out of tough situations).
Perhaps the most difficult experience I’ve gone through in both TV and print is how to maintain an air or facade of professionalism in the face of tragedy or suffering.
To this day, I find it extremely challenging to keep my composure whenever a subject details a harrowing aspect of their lives. (There were some occasions where I would hide my face behind a handkerchief, or pretend to wipe dirt off my face, whenever I could not control my tears anymore.)
My training in television production dictated that we continue rolling despite the subject’s discomfort, and just let them cry or express themselves. The same concept applies in photography, because, as we’ve discussed in our introductory class, journalists are “witnesses”.
But I always felt that this particular aspect of the job was a huge disrespect, bordering on obscenity. Of course I do not take joy in seeing their discomfort, but I am forced to do so in order to get the story done.
-
The Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics says that journalists must learn how to show compassion, and learn how to respect subjects’ privacy.
I used to question myself if I was being unprofessional by showing any sign of empathy or sympathy. But now, I know better. I now know that subjects are entitled to stop at any point during the coverage, should they find it difficult to continue. I also learned to prepare better for stories that could be distressing for subjects, and create more nurturing relationships with subjects, instead of “dropping them” right after the story has aired or been published.
I think that if journalists know better, we can do and be better in exercising our duty to the public.
Disclaimer: This essay was written as a requirement for the Diploma in Visual Journalism program of the Asian Center for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University.
