Since studying journalism, I have begun to realise that there is something that is equally important as truth and accuracy in reporting, and that’s ethics.
The importance of ethical journalism can be emphasised by looking back to a time when the principles were very different, particularly during times of crisis such as, the Gulf war I.
From one point of view, people question: “Should graphic pictures of the dead be shown?” and “should the grief of families who have lost loved ones on the battlefield be intruded?”
This is a basic ethical dilemma faced by journalists.
Although this seems a fair point due to privacy and sensitivity, one thing’s for sure; just because journalists may sometimes have to report distressing information, it doesn’t mean they should conceal the truth from society.
During the Gulf war I, the government imposed strict barriers of censorship for journalists “to alter public perception of the
nature of the war itself, particularly the fact that civilians die in the war.” Propaganda was essentially concealing the truth and painting a picture of a war without death; distorting reality and deceiving citizens.
Journalists had to alter language to cover up deaths for example, “collateral damage” read “dead citizens”; “degradation of enemy capacity” read “dead soldiers”; and “laying down on the carpet” read “saturation bombing”. In turn, the war didn’t appear to involve real people, with real human emotions and people could easily dismiss the extent of devastation caused by the war, and convince themselves that it’s not that bad.
I believe this clearly presents a case of unethical journalism. Society has a right to know the adverse consequences of the war and feel for the families affected. In addition, these families deserved to voice their grief and have the world realise the extent of devastation caused.
For this reason, although at the time journalists were considered to be acting socially responsible by following laws that prohibit harmful information. In reality, they were twisting the truth and it was more likely to encourage society to view wars less seriously, as they didn’t fully realise its impact.
Thankfully today it is reassuring to know that this has changed and journalists have to abide to basic ethical principles of morality and social responsibility, which includes defending citizens from abuses of authoritarian power.
For example, the Press Complaints Commission promotes ethical journalism and covers four main areas of regulation; accuracy, privacy, newsgathering and protection of the vulnerable. Importantly, it encourages a fourth estate of ‘free press’; not restricted by state-controlled propaganda, which John O’Neill (1992) defines as: “A free market brings with it a free press that supplies the diversity of opinion and access to information that a citizenry requires in order to act in a democratic, responsible manner. The free market, journalism and democracy form an interdependent trinity of institutions in an open society.”
Journalists must report in line with decency and provide citizens with a public sphere with all material they need to make rational, informed choices, heightening their autonomy, which is an ethic in itself.
Kate Malinowski 