___________O P IN IO N ___________
s
Paradoxical: Ethical Journalism
BY AUTUMN BEREND
EDITROR-IN-CHEIF
TH L i
Is
e t h ic a l
jr
j°urnahsm dying?
S S H y W The answer may
I k j | l l | j ^ not surprise you,
but the reason migiit.
Journalism is considered to
be the first draft of history, marking
down events th at take place and
recording them in archives. Because of
journalism, we know what’s happening
in Syria during the Civil War, what
happens within the W hite House with
President Donald J. Trump, the sex
scandal with Anthony Weiner, and more.
Journalism is the tool that allowed these
things to become known. That and social
media, of course.
What makes journalism ethical and
why has it been put into extraordinary
questioning in recent times?
Not any one single media company
must follow these guidelines; hut there
are a set o f ethical guidelines one must
follow within the Society of Professional
Journalists. It, in itself, is lengthy but
comprehensible.
The job of a journalist should be a
simple one: tell the facts as. they are.
Opinions, one’ so w n voice or biases
should never be involved. That’s why
opinions and columns, such as this one,
exist. They exist so that journalists can
have an outlet for their own opinions.
time, was simply giving an interview.
which have required little to no research
N o t to in te n tio n a lly throw the
Finally, to showcase their inability
and are filled with sensationalism.
metaphorical punch at ah organization,
to post quality news, afterward James
This type of journalism is seen even in
but the W illam ette Week (WW) is a
Damore was to speak at Portland State
the New York Times, Huffington Post,
prim e, local exam ple o f un ethical
University, hosted by the Freethinkers of' Breitbart or the Root. These outlets
journalism. While admittedly having
PSU,Xhey misrepresented Damore, the
don’t represent true journalism. This
researched and released some great
man fired from Google after publishing
type of journalism, yellow journalism,
stories, they do not hold a candle to
a seem ingly extremely controversial ,rs p ro m in en t and has poisoned the
the ethics of what makes journalism,
memo.
well that is honest, ethical and truthful
journalism.
The WW recently published ah article
journalism.
One example is the public endorsement charging Damore with a very factually
Is it any wonder that journalism is
of a political candidate, Hillary Clinton,
incorrect headline and sub-headline;
dying as a field? From the Internet
during the 2016 presidential election.
“ Tech Bro Fired from Google for Saying
arguably being the last stake to the
While I do not care if Aaron M esh,
W omen Are Biologically U nfit to Be
heart, in terms of monetary income,
(news editor for the WW,) was to endorse
Engineers Will Speak at PSU: Next Month
honest to goodness journalism from
her, an entire organization showing
James Damore will answer questions
the likes of Bob Woodward and Carl
a clear stance and bias, makes them
about his opinions on diversity and,
Bernstein during the Watergate scandal,
untrustworthy. Can you truly trust them
presumably, why he thinks women can’t
or what we see in movies such as The
to report facts that shame Clinton and
do m ath.” "
Post or Searchlight have become more
praise Trump? The answer is a solid
I’ve read the memo, multiple times.
scarce. -
•
“ no.”
It’ s not long at all. At m ost, I recall , Journalism is dying, and it’ s dying
A nother issue Xhey pose is, after
it being eight pages. While there are
by suicide from pseudoisticjournalists
Richard Spencer was socked in the face
things people may disagree with or even
who mask themselves as reporters and
by a cowardly A n ti-fa sc ist (Antifa)
not like, his memo didn’t say women Yell biases, preventing a field of fact-
member, Willamette Week seemed to
are unable to do math or biologically
tellers from being a reliable source for
believe it was completely acceptable to
unfit to be engineer^ but what he did
information.
physically assault someone on the basis- argue was that there are some biological
We must stick to outlets such as the
that they might cause harm.
differences, such as women on average Associated Press, Reuters and those
The W illamete Week? They put on
looking for more work-life balance than
few others who still hold journalistic
their Twitter name “ Willamette Week”
men. a
integrity high. Subscribe to journalists
with a fist and a frog, representing neo-
This fallacious headline writing and
who do the work. Follow them on Twitter
Nazis and the a lt-rig h t. This was an
unneeded charging is partly why people
or Facebook. We should demand better
open endorsement of physical violence
fail to believe journalists. Such tactics are
than to take our news from the likes of
against people like Spencer, who, at the
simply examples of yellow journalism,
Willamette Week or Buzzfeed.
screencapture by the WHiamette Week
Tech Bro Fired from Google for Saying Women Are Biologically U nfit to
Be Engineers W ill Speak at PSU Next M onth
graphic by William Farris
YELLOW JOURNALISM
Janies Damore will answer questions about his opinions on diversity and, presumably, why he thinks
women can’t do math.
s
M
»
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B «
; ■■■■” *
B lB K S Ww X I C T r ?
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I
SB
V
C
A SENSATIONAL STYLE OF
REPORTING THAT WAS USED
MOSTLY IN THE 1800 THAT:
d t’
- M
EXAGGERATED STORIES AND
LANGUAGE
-
B
MADE THINGS UP (LIED) AND
MINIPULATED FACTS Ì
an
Story headline and photo from W illamette Week
Clackamas Print —----------------------------------
theclackam asprint.net
January 31, 2018