Journalism - General Discussion

[polysmut]

Here you can discuss examples of either "good" or "bad" journalism, principles of journalism in general, trends in journalism, corporate ownership of media or anything else related to the subject.

I'll include some links for reference which may or may not be useful. The selection was mostly dictated by a Google search.

Spoiler: Some links

Wikipedia link: Journalism Ethics and Standards

From the UK's National Union of Journalists: NUJ Code of Conduct

From the UK's Independent Press Standards Organisation: Editors' Code of Practice

Reuters Handbook of Journalism: Standards and Values

New York Times Co: Standards and Ethics

 

[TenEightyOne]

It depends mostly on the publication. There are some very good journalists being instructed to (or later edited to) produce tripe. The internet age has added to the mix with some very professional looking sites that actually accept all kinds of unedited reader contributions that fit the publisher's agenda. "White Man, Why Are You Giving Away Your Country?" was an article linked in a discussion at these forums that was, to my mind, a good example of that.

 

[SixtusToth]

You might want to start with The Code of Ethics

After that, you can watch a short video about how you can interview a government official (you said something about poor journalism - not always)

 

[VolkswagenX]

You might want to start with The Code of Ethics

After that, you can watch a short video about how you can interview a government official (you said something about poor journalism - not always)

Never expected to see something like this on the BBC.

 

[polysmut]

The BBC's decision not to report the dead pig allegations against David Cameron is unacceptable
It's the biggest story of the day, but if you only followed the BBC's coverage you wouldn't even know it had happened

Spoiler: Link with references to private parts

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices...t-david-cameron-is-unacceptable-10511162.html

Is it really the biggest story of the day?

 

[SixtusToth]

You might want to watch this too

 

[Bo]

Is it really the biggest story of the day?

Unfortunately so.

Newsnight was a laugh though - Anthony Seldon saying what we're all thinking, "who actually cares?", whilst Isabel Oakeshott was left dodging the basic questions and defending the book with the "it's down to the public to take what they want from it" line. She was questioned about the validity of her source for the allegations repeatedly (there is only one referred to throughout, the same anonymous person), and she came as close as possible to saying it's all unsubstantiated tosh without actually saying it.

 

[polysmut]

You might want to watch this too

I just got chance to watch that tonight & enjoyed it.

You haven't said why you chose to share it here or what you think of it?

 

[SixtusToth]

There is also a risk you are taking while covering conflict zones, when realizing what you believed to be the good guys are the bad ones, and vice versa... Watch this

 

[polysmut]

This interview hasn't made too much of an impact but that's ok. The impression I get is that the interviewer is out of his depth.

 

[TenEightyOne]

This interview hasn't made too much of an impact but that's ok. The impression I get is that the interviewer is out of his depth.

That wouldn't be a surprise, even before I've watched it.

 

[polysmut]

Here's a journalist writing about journalism. And Indonesia.

http://www.monbiot.com/2015/10/30/nothing-to-see-here/

In the greatest environmental disaster of the 21st Century (so far), Indonesia has been blotted out by smoke. And the media.

A great tract of the Earth is on fire. It looks as you might imagine hell to be. The air has turned ochre: visibility in some cities has been reduced to 30 metres. Children are being prepared for evacuation in warships; already some have choked to death. Species are going up in smoke at an untold rate. It is almost certainly the greatest environmental disaster of the 21st Century – so far.

And the media? It’s talking about the dress the Duchess of Cambridge wore to the James Bond premiere, Donald Trump’s idiocy du jour and who got eliminated from the Halloween episode of Dancing with the Stars. The great debate of the week, dominating the news across much of the world? Sausages: are they really so bad for your health?

 

[Vegard]

There's a really good documentary on mass media, journalism, public relations etc. that I'd like to recommend to anyone interested in the subject. It's made by Metanoia films and is called; Orwell rolls in his grave.

 

[polysmut]

Evgeny Lebedev has confirmed that the Independent and Independent on Sunday will cease printing, with the last editions to be published in late March.

Lebedev, who also confirmed the sale of the cut-price national stablemate i to Johnston Press, did not reveal how many of the 150 full-time staff would lose their jobs. However it is thought that as many as 50% of staff could end out being made redundant.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/20...-and-independent-on-sunday-closures-confirmed

 

[TenEightyOne]

Evgeny Lebedev has confirmed that the Independent and Independent on Sunday will cease printing, with the last editions to be published in late March.

Lebedev, who also confirmed the sale of the cut-price national stablemate i to Johnston Press, did not reveal how many of the 150 full-time staff would lose their jobs. However it is thought that as many as 50% of staff could end out being made redundant.

There'll be new jobs as they expand though...

 

[mustafur]

An Insight on why America Mainstream media is unreliable.

 

[ukfan758]

If you want a solid example of quality journalism, The Daily Mail is an excellent choice.

 

[TenEightyOne]

If you want a solid example of quality journalism, The Daily Mail is an excellent choice.

The sort of solid example that might be passed into a lavatory, yes.

 

[polysmut]

It's the sort of paper that I'm never sure how many people follow. I know a couple of people who buy it & I always wish I was a bit better at showing them how much of a nonsense it is.

 

[TenEightyOne]

It's the sort of paper that I'm never sure how many people follow. I know a couple of people who buy it & I always wish I was a bit better at showing them how much of a nonsense it is.

Supposedly 1.5 million. Fools, don't they know about our O&CE threads?!

 

[polysmut]

The front page of The Sun today.

The story tells of a lunch at Windsor Castle in 2011 where, according to an unnamed source, the Queen told Deputy Prime Minister (at that time), Nick Clegg that the EU was heading in the wrong direction.

Mr Clegg denies that it ever happened.

As I told the journalist this is nonsense. I’ve no recollection of this happening and it’s not the sort of thing I would forget.

A Palace spokesman said

The Queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years. We would never comment on spurious, anonymously sourced claims.

The referendum will be a matter for the British people.

Even if it did happen, it was before a "Brexit" was on the debate table. Therefore the headline on the front page would appear to be a leap of imagination.
Buckingham Palace has issued a complaint to the IPSO.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “We can confirm that we have this morning written to the chairman of the Independent Press Standards Organisation to register a complaint about the front-page story in today’s Sun newspaper.

“The complaint relates to clause one of the editors’ code of practice.”

Clause one of the Ipso editors’ code of practice covers accuracy. In particular, the clause outlaws “inaccurate, misleading or distorted information” including headlines not supported by the text of the story itself.

 

[CTznOfTime]

I think this is the appropriate thread for me to ask. (Let me know if it isnt.)

While you all try to define what Journalism should be (a topic that i think is fascinating and that i will be following shortly), but first i want to ask you: what is/are currently your most trusted sources of news?

For me:
Finally after so many years remaining ignorant of the news' "sources" ( i have been up until now taken "news" where it lay by my feet and i would spit on it if it just look ridiculous), i just took 30mins of my precious time to research (lightly) the different sources of news and where and how they came about.

For my own purpose, i found that NPR would be my most trusted and go-to for news feed.

Equally as important and to get a second opinion, i also want to read from the AFP (Agence France Presse).

NYT, CNN, WSJ, and Le Monde will be my second choice.

What do you think?


Before You resume your discussion on what Journalism should be, i should add also that GTP is probably my go to most trusted source of news of all the forums in the world...

 

[polysmut]

Before You resume your discussion on what Journalism should be, i should add also that GTP is probably my go to most trusted source of news of all the forums in the world...

I think on GTP things get analysed and debated quite thoroughly so a clear picture of events emerges. I like the forums here as a source of news.
Generally I try to look at more than one source for news in the hope that I'll get a rounded view of things.

Edit: International New York Times used to be set as my homepage until a few years ago when they limited the amount of stories per month you can read for free. I'll still sometimes buy a paper copy of it.

 

[Liquid]

Journalism is an extension of the political machine. Mainstream journalism, at least. As S_Bridge mentioned, good journalists have their work doctored to suit editorial demands whilst journalism dressed up as satire, such as Private Eye, is denounced as skeleton-searching anti-establishment nonsense by the mainstream newspapers; it's denounced as skeleton-searching by staff who work for Rupert Murdoch, of all people.

Even then, and I am a very interested reader of PE, it's not without its faults; it itself has been subject of retroactive ridicule following its opposition to LGBT and women's rights in the 60s and 70s and its support of Wakefield's MMR findings.

It's impossible to find a flawless outlet. It's finding the lesser of several evils and taking everything with a pinch of salt.

 

[polysmut]

As S_Bridge mentioned, good journalists have their work doctored to suit editorial demands

I can't take the credit, I'm afraid.

There are some very good journalists being instructed to (or later edited to) produce tripe.

 

[Liquid]

Gosh, well that shows just how much I pay attention sometimes.

 

[polysmut]

In Kenya, the formerly strong reputation of The Daily Nation is in jeopardy. It appears that President Uhuru Kenyatta is managing to exert influence over the paper, through its owner Prince Karim Aga Khan, amid staff dismissals.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...fter-newspaper-sacks-cartoonist-a6943171.html

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Gosh, well that shows just how much I pay attention sometimes.

Are you sure that your post wasn't just doctored to suit editorial demands?

 

[DK]

I figured this was a decent excuse to revive this thread:

Investigative journalism is completely dead thats why.

I wouldn't say it's dead, but that the business model which allows for investigative journalism is on its last legs. Why bother with something as mind-blowing yet financially risky as say, the Panama Papers or the Snowden files, when your news organisation is running out of reserves after yet another year of heavy losses and you can just make money on inane clickbait?

 

[TenEightyOne]

In a world that's rapidly filling with lurid shouts you've got to shout more loudly and, er, luridlierly.