Ethical Quandries

Ethics are a major part of everyday life for the profession of journalism. A large percentage of the time, journalists have to solve different ethical dilemmas in their work and have to make tough decisions on their own about what is right or wrong.

Whenever a reporter comes across a story that could be controversial, they have to ask themselves many questions. What is really happening here? Is the situation solvable in any other way? Is the reward for reporting this story worth the possible consequences it could have? These are just a few of the things that journalists have to think about when they find an instance in which there is no clear cut yes or no answer.

Ethics are an important value to have in life, no matter what your profession is, but it is especially important for journalists. This is because journalists are the ones who speak to the masses, they tell the community what is important to know and pay attention to. These decisions about useful information can have a major impact on the stories that the journalist decides, or doesn't decide to, cover and report on, and the engine that every reporter must consult in these situations is their individual code of ethics.

Journalists’ Ethical Issues

Journalists face ethical issues on a daily basis. What is the right thing to do? What is the right thing to say? These are ethical issues that journalists face when going after the stories they want.

Some examples of problems journalists face in regards to ethics are the duty to their self, duty to their audience, duty to their employer, duty to their profession, and duty to their society. The journalist has to make all of these people happy and if they do not then a problem may arise.

Journalists try to limit the amount of harm done to a person as much as possible. This results in holding back information from articles or reports. For example, names of minors, crime victim names, or information not essentially related to particular news reports release of which might harm someone’s reputation.

Journalists face ethical dilemmas often and the best way to resolve them is to cause the least amount of harm possible to the person or persons and to do what you think is the right thing to do. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Journalists and Ethics

Everyday, when Journalists are on the front lines, and they need to make decisions, they are constantly facing the tough task of making sure they ethically obtain, report on and document stories correctly.

Even some of the most distinguished reporters face many ethical decisions everyday. They need to make the right decision that is right in correspondence to the situation.

For example there are many journalists that work as investigative reporters everyday who usually need to deicide if using techniques such as using a hidden camera or going undercover might violate other peoples rights.

As with situational ethics, the book, “Telling the Story,” talks about how many journalists might act within the slogan “the end justifies the means.” This basically means that there are some things that journalists might do that might be ethically wrong such as obtaining information in a way that might not be illegal but it would stir up the media world dramatically.

Finally, because journalists have the final say if what they are about to do is ethical, the decision ultimately lies within their hands. Whether they chose to violate their values or “burn bridges” to get the big story is purely their decision.

Journalists and Ethics

Journalists face the following ethical problems:

• Deceit- to lie, misrepresent, use a hidden camera or recorder, steal documents
• Conflicts of Interest- start out with no hidden agenda and no bias
• Friendship- a powerful conflict of interest
• Payola- never accept money for a story except by employer
• Freebies- never accept free gifts from people you cover because they always come with a price
• Checkbook Journalism- is it ethical to pay a source for an exclusive story?
• Participation in the News- let your employer know what organizations you are working for
• Advertising Pressure- work for an organization that clearly separates editorial and advertising
• Invasion of Privacy- figure out what you consider an invasion of privacy
• Withholding Information- would you withhold information from the news organization you work for
• Plagiarism- never use someone else’s work as your own

Journalists can solve Ethical issues by using Principled Reasoning, reflecting on your ethical principles that will help you decide on proper or moral ways to act.

Ethicists Clifford Christians, Kim Rotzoll, and Mark Fackler created a model for reasoning including these steps:

• Appraising the Situation
• Identifying Values
• Appealing to Ethical Principles
• Choosing Loyalties

Everyone is Right

Journalists are employed to inform the public of information worthy of hearing. They are necessary to give truthful guidance and news.

The First Amendment is crucial in protecting the rights and ideas of these journalists and every other person. The idea of freedom of speech and freedom of press grant these writers the privilege of sharing opinions, beliefs, and views that some people may not agree with.

Although certain aspects are not covered by the First Amendment, such as slander and libel, everyone has a right to an opinion.

Defamatory statements are not permissible, and a court will not protect those people who commit libel with actual malice.

Journalists and Ethics

Journalists face ethical dilemmas every day though some ethical dilemmas are more problematic for them than others. Often their work involves exposing people about things that they have done and often these things do not look favorably on these people. That is why journalists face these ethical dilemmas because on one hand they have the option to publish a great story that could essentially cost someone their career and maybe even family life. Though sometimes a story like this should be published because the journalists also have a duty to inform the public as well as create stories for the company they are working for. That is why it is important for newspapers and other such news mediums must make sure that the journalists they hire are ones that understand what ethics are and know when and when not to publish a story because it is ethically wrong.

Journalists and the first amendment

Journalists have an extremley important job. What they do is find information that is controversial and often involves public people, their job is important because it keeps the public informed about what it is going in our society. Though since their job often involves exposing powerful public figures that have the money and power to sue these journalists it is necessary that they are protected under our constitution. That is why the first amendment is so important because without it journalists would not have their right to freedom of speech and thus not be protected by the law. Also without the first amendment then the public would be less informed about what is going on in our government and with our public figures.

Pleading the First: What Journalists do every day

The First Amendment to the Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law impeding the rights of freedom of speech, religion, press, right to protest, and right to assemble." The First Amendment dictates many of the actions that journalists take in their daily lives on the job.

Freedom of Speech is important because without this, a major right in the United States would not be allowed, and that is that people have the right to say what is on their mind without having to worry about consequence from government. Journalists use this whenever they have to write an opinion or type up a controversial story, and the Amendment protects them from potential backlash that could come from people who may not want the writer to say such things.

Freedom of Press also greatly affects the media because it is in this sense that any outlet can have an equal chance to succeed in the market of mass media. Because the government cannot sanction one news source as "the official one", this allows free speech to prosper in the press, and lets each outlet adapt its own identity as a choice for where people can get their news. And this freedom to choose what people read is an essential part of what makes America the land that it is today.

How the first amendment effects journalism

If it wasn’t for the first amendment, it is likely that the whole profession of journalism could not exist. The first amendment to the constitution gives Americans the right to free speech, along with freedom of the press. By allowing Americans to have the freedom to speak and right about what they want, Americans can write stories that are investigative and critical of government without fear of punishment. The first amendment was strengthened by the New York Times vs Sullivan case, in which the jury decided that public figures are not entitled to the same privacy that everyday citizens are, and that means that newspapers do not have to be afraid when they print a story. It is our freedom in media that allows us to speak our minds about any issue, and as long as the piece isn’t slanderous or libel it is fit to be published. Without the first amendment, journalists would be too scared to write stories and there’d be no such profession.

Ethical Problems for Journalists

Journalists may have a fun job, but they do face some ethical problems. Deceit is one of them. According to the book, Journalists who are covering a story and may use deceit should think about short and long term consequences of deception, the impact, of credibility, legal implications, motivations for actions, consistency of reasoning and action, and the congruence between the deceptive act and the organization’s editorial mission. Friendship is another problem faced by journalists. This can keep you from getting information that is important. To overcome this obstacle, it’s better if the journalist asks their editor to give the story to someone else, that way you don’t have to worry about getting information from your friend. There’s also payola, which means that journalists can’t accept payment for a story other than from their employer.
Another obstacle is freebies. If journalists accept free gifts from people, they cover, they may not stay objective, write stories that they might not write, and the public could see the reporter as someone who is suspected of or accepted freebies as an objective. In order to avoid any problems, journalists should not accept freebies at all.

The First Amendment and Journalists

According to the book Writing for Mass Media, the First Amendment to the constitution states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” So why is this important to journalists? Well, when journalists have to write or broadcast stories, they have to be able to say what they want. It is important that no one can interfere with what they want to say. It is also important for journalists to express themselves however they want to.
However, journalists still have limitations. Journalists have to make sure they’re stories are accurate and true. There are three defenses against libel that exist. One is truth. Basically, you have to verify the information you published to make sure it’s true. The second is privilege, which applies to journalists who are covering any of the three branches of government. Finally there is fair comment and criticism, which means that journalists are protected as long as they don’t misstate any of the facts they base their comments on, and they don’t damage the information that they base their opinions on.

Journalists and Their Ethics

In spite of the First Amendment giving one of the greatest privileges to the journalism world, freedom of the press, there are still several ethical issues that journalists face every day while at work.

Journalists must always be honest in getting a story, never being deceitful. Relying on such a tactic could result in a journalist losing not just his or her job, but his or her credibility and reputation as well.

Another ethical issue seen among journalists is conflict of interest. If a journalist has even the slightest connection to a story subject or issue, it can result in a story containing unprofessional emotions and a very strong bias-a big no-no in journalism. Conflicts of interest include friendship, which can often be the biggest obstacle when obtaining information, and taking payments from other than their employer.

Plagiarism is also a large issue in the journalism world. If a reporter is caught plagiarizing another person's work, he or she immediately loses all credibility and, more than likely, his or her job.

To avoid such ethical issues, journalists should follow the model of moral reasoning developed by Dr. Ralph Potter. This model, known as "The Potter Box," includes four elements: appraising the situation, identifying values, appealing to ethical principles, and choosing loyalties.

The First Amendment: What's it to journalists?

The First Amendment is possibly the most important one in the world of journalism. This particular amendment is what gives not just journalists, but every American citizen, freedom of speech. There are four other different freedoms granted in this amendment, and as journalists, we especially appreciate and live by freedom of the press.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference, and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights). This and the freedoms granted to us in the First Amendment allow journalists to essentially do their job.

With these rights, journalists are allowed to publish whatever they wish, on the grounds that no slanderous or libelous statements are ever made. Journalism happens to be the only profession that is protected under this Constitutional Amendment. Such protections are what allow journalists to post stories about the country's government and its officials, as well as stories about any other social and economic situations that may affect their own lives and the lives of their readers.

ethics of a journalist

Being a Journalist is most likely one of the most competitive jobs, a journalist is required to produce a story first and have it be the best story with the most facts. Achieving both of these things is a very hard task.

Sometimes a journalist ethics comes into play when they are in a rush to get a story out, or need more facts than they currently have.

As taught throughout high school plagiarism is bad, however sometimes a journalist may resort to plagiarism because of how difficult it is to prove, in this case just making up quotes or facts.

Besides being ethically wrong the other issue with this is that a journalist should always give proper credit to whoever deserves it, this way the journalist is less responsible for what is said.

It can help a journalist to ask themselves, what is the overall purpose of them fudging facts, and why did they become a journalist, to have the best false story? or to find the truth and show the public?

Another ethical issue journalist come across is when facts or evidence are found but illegal to be used.

A journalist can often come across evidence that would go against invasion of privacy if published, however it is a journalist job to risk this the evidence found is of extreme importance.

Journalists rights

The First Amendment allows the right to freedom of speech, religion, petition, and most importantly (to journalists) freedom of the press. Free press gives journalists the right to release news information without intrusion by the government.

Journalists cannot be forced to publish any news and information they do not want to. Under the first amendment the US government cannot force them to.

Journalists are given the right to have free access to all sources of information and release that information if relating to public interest. Journalists also have the right to refuse any instruction if it violates the policy of their company. The rights American journalists have far surpass those in other countries, because of The First Amendment.

Ethics in Journalism

Journalists always try their hardest to create interesting, informative stories. But how far is too far?

There are many ethical problems when dealing with journalism.

Journalists often have to deal with something called a “conflict of interest.”

Journalists must try hard to not be bias and to see all sides of a problem. They can never choose sides in a story, which is best solved if the journalist has no relationship with the story or problem.

There is no laws about ethics in journalism, but it should be seem as an unwritten rule.

Solving ethical problems comes with practice. It requires reasoning by the journalist, as well as morals.

Journalists should focus on the facts of the story, rather than on how he or she feels about the story.

It is important that journalists are loyal and honest in their writing. A journalist is most likely to lose readers if they are not ethical and fair to all parties involved in the story.

The First Amendment

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution is very relevant to journalism.

The first amendment gives all Americans freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

This means that writers are free to write and publish what they wish, so long as they do not offend anyone in the process.

Journalism is one of the only professions in the United States that is protected by the Constitution.

Many countries around the world do not have as much freedom as the First Amendment gives to Americans.

The freedoms of the first amendment give American the chance to speak their minds, and the country a chance to develop.

If people were not able to say what they want, and stand up for what they believe in, there may still be inequality for women, slaves, and even child labor.

Clearly, the first amendment is closely related to journalism. It allows journalists to write whatever they want, and what they truly believe. Without this amendment, America would not be the country it is today.

freedom of press

The first Amendment of the United States protects freedom of speech and freedom of the press, a freedom that has its limitations and for good reason.


The first Amendment allows journalist to say what they want and about who they want. The main limitation that comes into play is printing libel.

Libel is when an author publishes information about a person inaccurately and portrays that person in a negative light, harming their reputation.

The supreme court ruled that a person can only be punished if they print libel intentionally, which would be called malice. Malace is very hard to prove, especially the abundance of illegitimate sources found on the internet today.

The first Amendment allows people to speak out for what they believe to be right, without fear of being punished or silenced by the government. This is important because journalist help keep politicians in check, to not overuse thier power.

How do you define a "good" multimedia piece?

Most journalists spend a fair amount of their time crafting multimedia pieces as well as their traditional stories. These pieces contain, just as the name suggests, multiple forms of media as well as the written text.

A good multimedia piece will contain any of the following: video, music, sound bites, pictures, slideshows, graphs, and so on. It should be very informative, as the creator has many different forms of media at his or her disposal to reach the reader in different ways.

The advantage of a multimedia piece is this arsenal available. Some readers aren’t “touched” by a simple news story with a picture and blocks of text. A stunning video or slide show of bright photographs may do the trick. A journalist’s goal is to relay news to the public that they are interested in, and multimedia pieces are a very effective way of doing so.

Ethics in Journalism

Though the job of a journalist is to get the story and uncover the truth, journalist may face Ethical dilemmas.

Journalist may face what is called a conflict of interest. It may be hard but a journalist must not show any form of bias. A journalist must avoid choosing sides sides in conflicts or stories, this may be hard when the journalist has some sort of relationship to the story.

The journalist must also avoid any for of lying. No matter what a journalist can not lie even if it is to uncover a story. By lying the journalist may lose his/her credibility.

The greatest ethical issue is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a form of stealing someone else ideas or content. By doing this the journalist loses all credibility.

To avoid doing these things a journalist should use the Potter Box Model. The Potter Box Model has four elements which include, appraising the situation, identifying values, appealing to ethical principals and choosing loyalties.

The First Amendment

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution say that, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

This is the most important amendment in the constitution. This is the amendment that allows the most freedom for Americans and has allowed the people to have a voice whether it be in public speeches or in newspapers and television.

The first amendment is vital to a journalist. No other business besides Journalism in the U.S. is protected under the Constitution. Without this amendment journalist would not be able to do so many of the things they do freely.

It is a journalist responsibility to report on their government an the thing they do right and wrong. There are many countries in the world that do not allow such freedom in the press that allows journalism to flourish here.

What are some of the ethical problems face by journalists? How are they resolved?

Journalists are faced with different ethical problems day by day. Some problems are clearer than others, and easier to make a good decision on. Deceit, which occurs when you may lie, misrepresent yourself, use a hidden voice recorder or camera, when you may steal documents, etc., is a major problem. This is an easy problem to resolve, just don't do it. Even though journalists are pressured by deadlines and lack of information, it is not worth risking your career for something like this. Another ethical problem is invasion of privacy. This isn't as clear cut because people believe in "the right to know", and sometimes with public officials you do not necessarily know if you are invading their privacy. TMZ thinks nothing of this, and has been made infamous for invading privacy, and getting in touch with celebrities when they don't want to be seen. Withholding information is also an ethical problem with journalism. Again, this involves many blurry situations, some worse than others. As there are things that should and can be withheld, there are others that people should know, and a journalist should use a good moral compass to decide that. One of the biggest ethical problems seen today is plagiarism. This happens when people are lazy or just cannot get a job done by themselves. There is no excuse for this, because it is stealing work from other people. There are many other problems as well, mostly not as serious. Overall, journalists are pressured into situations where they face ethical problems daily, but if they maintain a straight moral conscious they should be able to resolve all of them.

Why is the First Amendment so important to journalists? What are some of the rights you have as a journalist?

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constituion states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." This is the amendment which makes America a free country. In other less fortunate countries, you don't not have the freedom to decide your way of life like you do here. Allowing the freedom of religion and speech has made us a better place. Without the freedom of speech, Martin Luther King Jr. would have never been given the opportunities he had to stand against inequality and segregation. These freedoms allow for the country to develop, and for people to live in peace. The part that most easily identifies with class is the freedom of the press. As stated earlier, not every part of the world is as fortunate, and the press is not allowed to report on every event in all countries. For example, China monitors its internet. If you search Tienanmen Square there, you won't be able to find anything on the protests or massacre that occurred there. That is important because it allows people to get mistreated without justice. Therefore, this amendment is what makes America the land of the free. In conclusion, this is an incredibly important amendment, not just for the press, but for everyone in the United States, and everyone should know and respect that.

Ethical Problems in Journalism

The First Amendment protects journalists, but there are many ethical issues that journalists face every day when writing stories.

One of the many ethical issues is using deceit to get a story because when the journalist lies to uncover a story, he or she may no longer be considered reputable.

Another issue journalist’s face is conflict of interest; they must show no point of view and absolutely no bias. Conflict of interest issues include friendship-which can be the greatest obstacle to the flow of information-they may not accept payment for a story other than from their employer and journalists may not accept freebies.

Plagiarism is yet another ethical issue that journalists face. In fact, according to the book, it seems that nearly every other day there is a story about some reporter admitting to plagiarism.

To resolve these, and other, ethical issues journalists should engage in principled reasoning, principles that will help you decided on proper or moral ways to act. The model of moral reasoning devised by Dr. Ralph Potter is called the Potter Box and has four elements.

The four elements include appraising the situation, identifying values, appealing to ethical principles and choosing loyalties.

The First Amendment

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech or o the press.”

Basically, this means that the First Amendment protects the press and their freedom to say what they wish, within certain parameters. Journalists hold the right to inform the public of the truth, not to lie or be dishonest in any way.

According to Telling the Story, No other business [besides Journalism] in the United States is protected under the constitution, unless you count religion as a business.

It is so important to journalists because it is their responsibility to provide information about their government and those who run it, as well as about the social and economic institutions that affect their everyday lives, and the First Amendment lets journalists do that.

It is a journalists right to beware of libel, that which may do damage to a person’s reputation caused by making the person hated in any way, to be the object of contempt or ridicule in the eyes of any reputable group.

The First Amendment Is a Journalist’s BFFL

The First Amendment is if not the most important, then one of the most important amendments to the United States Constitution’s Bill of Rights. The amendment allows freedoms of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.

For journalists this amendment saves their career and provides them with a sense of security. They have the freedom to say what they want when they want, assemble in areas in order to get information, and to release the information to the press.

Without these rights, journalists would not be able to get the stories and facts they need to write their articles, news stories, or radio shows.

Some rights that journalists have that average citizens do not are the privileges to better access to public events, crime scenes, and press conferences. They are also allowed extended interview time with public authorities, celebrities, or others in the public eye if needed.

Journalists are allowed these rights or privileges because the power the press has to turn the publics’ opinion for or against the government, policies or officials, and the press often represents their consumers.

First Amendment

According to the first amendment of the United States Bill of Rights “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

The first amendment is important to journalists specifically because it provides security to them and prevents the government from controlling what they publish.

Freedom of speech is important for everyone in the United States but is extra special for reporters because it allows them to free speech without any punishment from the government.

This goes hand in hand with the freedom of press, which unlike freedom of speech is explicit to the members of the press.

Although journalists to have these protections there are still guidelines that they must follow to avoid breaking or bending the law too much, such as libel.

Thanks to the first amendment journalists are protected and are able to voice their opinions and deliver news to the public, however they still must be cautious of abusing these rights.

Mult-Media

With the use of multi-media pieces it allows the reporter to reach their audiences on different levels.

With the use of the internet becoming more prominent and with the generation who watches the nightly news is slowly coming to a close multi-media’s role in news is become greater.

Good multi-media pieces will draw the reader in and also allow them to gain a better understanding of the issue the reporter is covering.

Personally I enjoy the multi-media videos that go along with a story because it is more interesting to me as a reader to be visually engaged.

Other powerful forms of multi-media are photos, photos are able to say things that even the best of writers could never express on paper.

They evoke emotions through their visuals that if written simply would not stack up.

Multi-media is becoming increasingly more common, and is leading the world of journalism in a positive direction.

Rights of Journalists

The first amendment is a very important right that not only helps journalists but it ensures that the government will not infringe on the press. One of the main parts of the first amendment is freedom of the press which makes sure that the government does not censor or restrict information from the press.

The first amendment also talks about freedom of speech which means that people including journalists can speak their views and their ideas without retalitaion from the government.

Some of the rights that journalists have specific rights just like the regular public has but they also have certain rights that the public does not have. Laws called shield laws in many of the states make sure that if there is information that can be obtained in another way without making the journalist revel its source then that journalist will be let off the hook.

But some of these laws also have certain disclaimers that talk about and only allow the shield law to take effect only if there is another way to get information. In some cases the law is repealed and the journalists are forced to give up information and sources.

The Rights of Journalists

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The First Amendment clearly protects the rights of the press to exercise freely and to free speech. Journalism is the only business in the United States that is constitutionally protected.

Why is freedom of the press so important?

In a Democracy, the public has the right to know about their government, social networks, and economic institutions involved in their day-to-day lives.

As a journalist, I have the right to report the truth to the public by any means necessary. I also have the right to use the Freedom of Information act to help me discover the actions of federal agencies.

On the other hand, journalists have to be weary of libel, assumptions, and fabrication. A journalist can’t be protected by the First Amendment if they are guilty of libel and fabricating stories.

What are some of the ethical problems faced by journalists? How are they resolved?

Journalists have many ethical codes to abide by when writing a story. They have these ethical codes because the businesses in which they work for do not want to offend anyone with their stories and they can be sued if they do.

One ethical code journalists have to follow is accuracy and standards for factual reporting. Reporters are expected to be as accurate as possible given the time allotted to story preparation and the space available, and to seek reliable sources. Journalists aren't allowed to just make up stories because it would be a lie and would not be ethical.

Another ethical code journalists have to follow is slander and libel considerations. Reporting the truth is almost never libel, which makes accuracy very important. Private persons have privacy rights that must be balanced against the public interest in reporting information about them. Public figures have fewer privacy rights in U.S. law, where reporters are immune from a civil case if they have reported without malice. Basically if the company reports with libel and slander they can be sued.

These ethical issues are resolved by the journalists following them. If they don't follow them it could involve legal issues.

Ethics of Journalism

Although the First Amendment protects freedom of the press, journalists must know how to write in a way that is respectful yet gets the information to the people ethically. A lot of times this can be really difficult to do.

There is no mandatory and enforced code of ethics because it could infringe on the freedom of the press. Instead, journalists must make the decisions for themselves. There are many ethical problems a journalist has to deal with.

- Using deceit to get a story can be very difficult because at times this practice may not be ethical.

- Conflicts of interest make it hard for journalists to write a story with no biases.

- Friendships and freebies can make a journalist appear or write biased.
- Payola can be an ethical issue for those who are only into journalism for the money.

To resolve these problems and many others, journalists should use principled reasoning to make an ethical decision possible. With experience, it becomes easier to understand these four elements.

- A journalist must appraise the situation by calling on all the facts from a variety of sources.

- It’s important to identify what and who should be held to the highest value.

- By appealing to ethical principles, you must choose one or more of these principles that are suitable to the situation at hand.

- A journalist must choose who to be most loyal too. Your own principles should be just as high at the loyalty to the news organization.

Why is the first amendment so important to journalist? What are some of the rights you have as a journalist?

According to The Constitution, the first amendment reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

The first amendment is so important to journalists because it allows them the freedom of speech and press; freedom to say what they want and have it published. Journalists may have freedom of speech and press, but there are some rules that they have to follow. For instance, journalism's first obligation is to the truth. Journalists cannot print anything that is a lie because it would be unethical. Next, its first loyalty is to the citizens. Journalists have to put their citizens first because they are the ones who will be reading the articles. They must also keep the news comprehensive and proportional. Journalists have to make sure that the readers will understand what they are writing. The news must strive to make the significant interesting, and relevant because no one wants to read a story that took place a month or a week ago because it isn't relevant. And no one wants to read a story that is boring.

All in all the first amendment is very important to journalists, but they must remember to keep to the rules and to not break them.

A Multi-Media report

A great multi-media piece first needs to capture a diverse audience while keeping them interested on the story and the main details. A multi-media piece also needs to cover specific information that might not be covered within a story.

Also it gives the audience a different view of the story through a video or different types of pictures. It does not just have to be through words. The slide shows can have music to them or they could even have narration to them.

Usually, the more creative the multi-media piece is, the more interesting it might be. Also if it is very creative it can have the ability to keep an audience interested.

In order for a multi-media piece to be successful, it must work with the audiences needs in addressing the key points and summarizing all of the information in a non complicated manor.

Finally, a multi-media piece must be multi faceted while still being pertinent to the information that is being covered.

Mutlimedia: Why is it Important?

Multimedia is becoming a very important part of internet Journalism in todays society. Multimedia pieces are more than just a simple news story. It is usually preferred over old fashion print news. They focus on a specific event, or place, and share all the details that is known about them.

Multimedia uses multiple kinds of communication to tell a story, or share news with the person taking in the information. This includes, audio and visual effects, compiled into a video, which shares information. These videos must get a story across in the simplest and most straight forward ways.

Multimedia pieces are often followed up by articles and sometimes hyperlinks. This is so the reader, or watcher, can attain even more background information about the story or event.

Multimedia pieces must hold the watchers attention, without boring them with too many confusing facts. If multimedia pieces are compiled correctly, they can be very successful in conveying a message, or telling a story.

Multimedia, is triggering more senses better?

Multimedia pieces in journalism typically have a greater impact than that of traditional print news.

Multimedia draws in the viewer with sound bites and visuals, all the while being narrated. Sometimes multimedia pieces incorporate a slide show of stand still pictures, while other pieces use edited video segments.

Each method can be effective in its own way, some pictures can say more than a 30 second video; sometimes a journalist only wants the viewer to see a certain frame to point out specifics.

Multimedia pieces take the viewer in even if the story has little relevance to the viewer's own life; visuals put the viewer in the shoes of the story’s profiles.

Sometimes printed stories that take place in a foreign landscape are hard for readers to imagine, however multimedia pieces can transport the viewer to the scene of news for a short time.

Multi-media

In this new age of technology people are relying on the internet more and more as places to get there news. With this ability it is easier for people to access sites that have, for example, pictures and videos.

Since we have these new technologically advanced outlets it is necessary to have all the necessary components for a multi-media piece. These components are the ease to maneuver around the multi-media piece as in links or tabs.

There also must be several visual elements because the visual elements are the main reason that people use multi-media pieces, for the ease of viewing and because they help to explain a situation.

The First Amendment

The right to say what you want as well as distribute it to mass amounts of people is a luxury we have living in the U.S. The First Amendment gives the citizens of the United States the right to freedom of religion, speech, the press, assemble, and petition.

Journalists especially need these rights to accomplish the job of delivering news to the people. The First Amendments protects journalists and provides them with the power to explore and publish what the public should and even shouldn’t see.

Journalists have the right to know government business, and to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in public. A journalist has a responsibility to protect their sources. It is also important to know the difference between a subpoena and a search warrant – subpoena is looking for one specific thing, and a search warrant is the right to the entire search of the property.

What journalists need to be careful of is libel in their writing. Libel is the damage to a person’s reputation caused by making the person an object of hatred, contempt, or ridicule in the eyes of a substantial and respectable group. This can cause journalists and their financial backing millions of dollars, and could even place the journalist in jail!

A Good Multi-Media Piece

With the popularity of the internet in today’s day and age, a good multi-media piece is necessary in today’s journalism world; just news stories alone do not attract as much attention anymore. They should grab the reader’s attention and convey the message the writer wants to get across to the reader.

A multi-media piece includes text, audio, video and graphics and other information that pulls a story all together to make it complete.

A successful multi-media piece in some cases is accompanied by an article or a graph or some kind to explain what the sound bite, video or picture is about. Hyperlinks are also important because they provide the reader with supplemental sources to watch, listen or read about the specific topic.

Terrific Multi-Media Pieces

Multi-media pieces should have good videos and be enjoyable. There should also be a section that explains what the video is about. For an example, on nfb.ca, there was a multi-media piece on Ted Baryluk’s Grocery. It was from 1982, but the format made it well-done. There’s a ten-minute video for it, and on the side is a synopsis. If someone hasn’t been following the issue or story, there should also be background information on the piece for people to read.

Good imagery should also be involved in a multi-media piece. A lot of people say you can’t judge a book by its cover. However, when certain people see a picture of something that goes with a story, it catches their attention and makes them want to read the story. Pictures are also a type of proof that something has happened, and they make a story more powerful and believable. Multi-media pieces should also have interesting titles, because titles catch a reader’s attention. A good multi-media piece should, in some cases, try to get people to help out with a cause. That way, when people read, and watch about a certain cause or issue, they will be inspired to take action.

Multimedia: Exactly What It Sounds Like

Multimedia is the use of multiple methods of communication compiled into one format to better serve the person who is taking in the information. Good multimedia pieces often combine the use of visual and audio effects to grab the reader or viewers attention and convey their message in a way that is easiest to understand and gets the point across in the most efficient way possible.

Multimedia pieces make the most out of appealing to the different senses in order to keep the audience's attention. Video and images appeal to the need for the visual stimulation of the mind, whereas sound satisfies the audio wants and words are used to hit the need for how traditional information is processed.

There is a new trend on the internet that is based upon websites that are springing up that strictly provide coverage using multimedia and nothing else. This differs from the traditional sense of how news is conveyed, meaning stories are written or tape and people have to read, watch, or listen to obtain the information. This new use of multimedia allows outlets to utilize more contemporary methods and let them stay competitive in the field of news media.

MuLtiM3diA

A good multimedia piece combines text, audio, still photographs, videos and more to convey one parallel message. Multimedia pieces are becoming more and more influential in this age of internet usage. Multimedia and the internet have created a completely new writing approach. The online world has certain expectations when it comes to news. A good site must have a specific purpose and an attractive deliverance. Interactivity, easy navigation and up to date coverage is needed for a good multimedia piece.

Multimedia pieces hit almost all the senses, they allow the audience to see, hear and read all the information being presented. The combination of mediums creates interactive responses of the content.

A good multimedia piece will hold the audience’s attention without bombarding the viewer with the combination of sound, video, text and more.

All the colors....

Good multimedia pieces incorporate text, photographs, digital work, audio, and other graphics. Good multimedia pieces draw in an audience by being aesthetically pleasing, and keep it's attention by utilizing proper sound and graphics.

Often, pictures and sounds can not provide substantial information, so text helps guide the viewers through ambiguous material.

Good multimedia pieces do not overexert themselves by having an overwhelming amount of graphics, sounds, and writing, rather, they balance each other out by providing sufficient information about specific details.

It is important to provide enough relevant information to match a video or picture without rambling.

The piece should have a specific purpose and effortless navigation. The media should be innovative and relatively fast to load and span.

For a good multimedia piece, one must incorporate text, audio, and graphics in an easy to navigate, aesthetically pleasing array.

Multi-Media Pieces

A good multi-media piece contains text as well as a type of media, whether it is video, sound, or a picture. The text must go along with the media in order to explain it further.

You can’t get as much information out of a video, sound bite, or picture as you can out of text. The text needs to add the extra details that the media cannot.

Multi-media pieces are more interactive with their audiences. I know personally that if I go to read a story and there is a video with the story, I will watch the story first before I read the article because it grabs my attention.

Finally, it is important that the information in the media and the text are not repetitive, the media can be explained further in the text but do not repeat. By being redundant the article can become boring to the audience and they may stop reading.

Public Relations, the other end of journalism

While journalists tend to try to dig up dirt, Public Relations workers try to feed the journalist with positive information.

People who work in public relations represent their client; a person, thing, or company usually, and if any information is going to get out about their client then they want to guide it.

PR connects firms and the media in many different ways, such ways include; damage control, marketing, and preventive measures.

If a politician wants to get his/her bill more recognized then a PR representatives will send out press releases with information on the bill and when/ where the politician will be speaking.

PR workers try to give all the necessary information on the politician and their bill so journalist won’t be tempted to find out more and possibly dig up trouble for the client.

Writing for PR differs from writing news because you’re giving all the important facts, with no creativity except for maybe a possible lead a journalist could draw from.

PR differs from news writing because it is typically more bias, sometimes PR people may even speak on the behalf of a certain someone to make sure everything is said correctly.

Is a feature story a news story?

In order for any story a journalist writes for print or broadcast it has to be newsworthy. Feature stories however differ from the traditional news stories.

Feature stories are still presenting recent news, but news that the reader may not have normally known of. Feature stories typically cover events or issues affecting the community.

A feature would not be a news article addressing a car crash that occurred last night.

With news stores a journalist has a greater sense of urgency, they have to get the story out quick and illustrate the truth.

The information may be harder to get because the situation is ongoing, a reporter has to be persistent.

Whereas a feature story has all the facts, and has to make the reader understand it all, since it is probably something the reader does not even know about.

A news story typically follows the inverted pyramid style of writing, having all the important information and nut graph high up.

A feature on the other hand can back into the story in a creative way.

Features v. News Stories

Despite what many people believe, features and news stories are both very different forms on media.

The purpose and message of features and News stories are very much different.

A news stories focuses in current events or happenings. A news story is about the newest detail in an event that is occurring. They are focused on keeping the public informed.

News stories can be read online, in newspapers, or watched on the television on daily news shows.

News stories begin with hard or soft leads, depending on what the writer decides. They are written in pyramid form, with the most important information at the top, answering the questions "Who?" "What?" "Where?" "When?" and "Why?"

Features focus on one subject, and are not always what is currently happening in the world. It could tell the story of something that has happened, or has been happening for a while.

Features are much more creative. They do not have to be written in a specific form, and are a little more entertaining than news stories, as well as more in depth.

News stories and features are both very important parts of journalism, when both writing and reporting.

What makes a good multimedia piece?

A multimedia story is some combination of text, still photographs, video clips, audio, graphics and interactivity presented on a Web site in a nonlinear format in which the information in each medium is complementary, not redundant.

Nonlinear means that rather than reading a rigidly structured single narrative, the user chooses how to navigate through the elements of a story. Not redundant means that rather than having a text version of a story accompanied by a video clip that essentially tells the same story, different parts of a story are told using different media. The key is using the media form - video, audio, photos, text, animation - that will present a segment of a story in the most compelling and informative way.

When news organizations take full advantage of two other important characteristics of storytelling on the Web -- context and continuity -- multimedia stories are wrapped in a story "shell" that provides background information on the story. This could include everything from databases, timelines and infoboxes to lists of related stories, links to other resources and online forums. The information in each shell gives the reader a sense of the context of a story and where it fits in with other stories on the same topic.

Each story shell, in turn, is part of a broader issue or beat shell at a news site that defines the more general context for each story - politics, foreign policy, education, crime, etc. And those issue/beat shells are wrapped in a general shell - usually a home page with its navigational menus - that defines what a journalism organization stakes out as its territory.

What makes a good multimedia piece?

Writing good multimedia pieces today are vital as the world moves on technologically. Writing good multimedia stories is easy if you follow simple guidelines. First of all, you have to think immediacy. It is most important to make sure what you write is accurate, but it is important to get it out there because the internet can deliver news that is brand new. Keeping readers with you means keeping them up-to-the-minute. You must update breaking stories quickly and add depth whenever it is available. You have to also remember that posting news too quickly and without verification can sacrifice quality and damage credibility. The second thing that you use as a guideline is to save the readers' time. Whatever you can do to save them time is worthwhile. For many stories your main concern should be if you presented the information in such a way as to cost readers the least amount of time. The best way to do this is to be clear and precise, using simple words, short sentences, and short paragraphs. You also have to make sure the information is quick and easy to get. Using both verbally and visually appealing to create the best story possible. Other strategies writers use is to cut the copy in half, use lots of lists and bullets, writing in chunks, and using hyperlinks. Lastly it is important to give readers a chance to talk back. The internet allows you to have people blog on the story, where they can add to it, and tell you how it is. Overall, writing a good multimedia story takes a lot and it may be the only thing around years from now.

What is good public relations? How does writing for PR differ from writing news?

Public Relations (PR) has all sorts of different definitions, but PR personnel are concerned with three things, the message, the audience, and the media to deliver the message. First of all, you must know the message that your organization wants to send. The message could be a product, a program or the organization itself. For every message you must know what you hope to accomplish even if that just means to inform people. It is important to be timely though, because some messages cannot wait. For example, if there is bad meat going around that shouldn't be eaten, it needs to be known immediately. Knowing the audience who you are directing the message at is almost as important as knowing all you can about the message. The better you are at targeting your audience, the more effective you will be. You have to look at who are these people, what are their attitudes, what do they do for work and recreation? These questions can be answered somewhat differently for internal and external audiences. Lastly, once you have masted the message or product and found your target audience, then you choose the best medium by which to deliver the message to the audience. With today's technology there are all sorts of ways, including TV, radio, newsstands, the internet, social-networking media, internal publications, brochures, billboards, etc. It is all depending on the message, and how many people you need to inform. If it is that important of a message, it will most likely use all of these things. In conclusion, good PR takes a lot of preparation, and you can see it is highly different than print news.

What makes a good radio/tv news story? How is it different than print?

What makes a good radio or tv news story is setup in a certain criteria, and differs from print stories. The first and most important of these criterias is timeliness. Newswriters emphasize timeliness above all other news values. When something happens often determines whether a news story will be used in a newscast. For example, a breaking news story receives top priority. Timeliness has a large effect on the next criteria, information. Timeliness determines why a news item is broadcast, while time/lack of it determines how it is reported. Because airtime is so limited, reporters are most concerned with getting all the information in rather than getting an explanation in. However, doing the math, a half-hour newscast equals out to about one-half of hte front page of hte newspaper. The third criteria is the audio or visual impact. Radio reporters often use a report based solely off the fact that they have a live audio report from the scene. TV, on the other hand, uses many of its stories based highly off visual appeal. Sometimes, a video alone will tell the whole story by itself. The final criteria used is people. Tv and radio tell their stories through people. They show people who were directly affected, how they feel, and truly catch their emotions better than printnews can. Overall, what makes a good tv or radio story differs highly from what makes a good print story.

PR

Good public relations writing is clear, concise and gets you the details quickly.

It is important that when writing a press release for public relations to make sure that you still follow the inverted pyramid style, and answer the who, what, when, where, why, and how.

When well written the essential information is given to you right away, there is not “fluff’ before you get to the details, it is very clear.

It also differs from news in the aspect that it should not take up more than a whole page, where in many news articles they are filled with more than just the basic details that they run long.

Press releases are essential to many if not all businesses they are how they communicate information out to the media so that they will cover their event.

A well written press release will gain the attention of the media and will communicate effectively the details of the event.

Video and Radio stars

When writing for radio and t.v. it is important to show your audience what you are reporting about.

In radio it is good to use effective descriptions in your vocabulary to help your listeners imagine what you are talking about.

Where as for t.v. it is important to show video clips, or pictures to visualize your story.

These areas offer a wide variety of options for those reporting for radio and television as opposed to print who are more limited.

The black font and white paper, with the occasional photo for a story does not evoke as many emotions as a multimedia clip, or hearing the emotion in someone’s voice.

It is also important that behind every well done radio and t.v. broadcast is hours of good preparation.

Through interviews and good camera shots, or voice clips viewers and listeners can more easily understand the story.

They're Different?

News stories differ from feature stories in their purpose and message. News stories focus on reporting the recent facts, that alert the readers to news happening today, keeping them informed. Usually these stories appear in newspapers, websites and are reported on television, etc. They use strong or soft leads depending on the subject matter and typically answer the questions, who, what, when, where, why, and how within it. Then they will follow the inverted pyramid style giving the most important details of a story first and the lesser last.

Features are usually done on a specific subject, and are not necessarily on what is happening in the world. They are a more creative form of writing and do not have to follow inverted pyramid. When writing a feature about a person, they are usually done in a chronological order. Features will focus more on the details and the creative aspects.

They are both valuable to the world of journalism and a good reporter should be able to utilize both to be a good writer.

Multi-media piece

The World Wide Web has changed the media forever. Before journalists simply wrote a piece for print, or for television, however long they wanted. They didn’t need to worry about writing the headline, incorporating photographs, audio, or video.

Today, journalists have somewhat different guidelines to follow. In writing a good multi-media piece, it’s important to make the information as clear and concise as possible in delivery. Using sidebars, graphs, and bullets adds a lot to online writing.

Photographs and video can be used to emphasize the story; words will simply describe the pictures. Hyperlinks are useful to help people understand everything they are reading.

Probably the biggest difference using the web is that readers want interactive writing. They want to be able to add and respond to the story. The writer should make the reader feel a part of the story and allow ways for him or her to communicate back.

Plagiarism is still an issue that writers online must be aware of. Online writing itself should be different from the print piece it is based off of. Writing online changes things by way of communicating the fastest updates, clearest delivery of information, and the largest amount of knowledge.