Lately in the news, and I don't mean the Fox News and CNN floating heads that yammer back and forth about who is bending the truth more, but the people that I trust, we are talking about returning to "responsible" journalism.
Writers like Maureen Dowd, Leonard Pitts and Nobel Prize winning writer Paul Krugman are among the people who say the things we don't want to hear. Because, more often than not, they are saying what is right and we can't stand to be proven wrong.
Journalism ethics is the big discussion floating around in the air. Is journalism ethics an oxymoron? Do journalists have a code of ethics to which they must dutifully adhere to?
Before I give you the answer let's take a look at "journalism."
This past week Fox News had to apologize yet again for their fabrication of news reports.
Publicly, the news channel had to tuck its tail and go to the corner for using old stock footage of Sarah Palin, shot during her vice presidential campaign, and using it while talking about her book signing tour. Check the article for proof, not on Fox, because they ran it for a total of three hours and then I never saw it again.
Knuckleheads like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh everyday spew untrue and malicious propaganda and are then forced to recant it. You would think they just would give up.
Glenn Beck, in the same show, said he wants to return to
the principles of our founding fathers, and then accuses liberals of, "building up this wall of separation between church and state, and it's nonsense!"
I don't know what founding fathers he is referring to.
Another clip of Beck is when he was trashing the families of those lost in the World Trade Center attacks. He starts out saying how at first he didn't hate the families of those lost, but after a year, he loathes them.
"All the 3,000 victims' families, I don't hate all of them, I hate about, probably about ten of them." He then goes on to say, "when I see 9/11 victim family, you know, on television, or whatever, I'm just like, 'Oh, shut up.' I'm so sick of them. Because they're always complaining. And we did our best for them."
This man wrote a book called "Common Sense". Boy do I hate irony.
To continue down the list, we have Ann Coulter calling John Edwards a "fag" during a lecture she was giving at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Class never finds poor Ann.
I could go on and on with examples and start quoting from Bill O'Reilly, Hannity, Limbaugh and loud, misinformed fools, but it will only serve to sidetrack from what I am getting at here.
What are we doing? I know what they are doing, but the question is do you people know what they are doing? Are you able to see through the curtain and realize the wizard is just a man named Rupert Murdoch?
The fact is, is that these men, and whatever Coulter is, are for show. They are not meant to be taken seriously. They are meant to draw attention to the channel. The more we watch, in order to listen or ridicule, we are giving them ratings and our attention. It's a business and their business is to be seen.
People are always talking about this "liberal media." Where is that channel? What kinds of things are they talking about?
All these channels, MSNBC and CNN that they claim are the "liberal media," are saying the same crap about President Obama as Fox is. Just as equally misinformed at times, but just without the sideshow pundits.
They don't care who you are, it's all about ratings. It's about money. And who do the rich people in this country support? Who is consistently lowering the taxes of the wealthiest people in this country? You can even go so far as to pick a political party/side... I'll wait... If you're still thinking then it's hopeless and this idea is just not for you.
So getting back to the original question.
What is a journalist's code of ethics?
My answer is that it depends on the journalist. He or she creates their own code of ethics that they find appropriate. Good journalists know who the other good journalists are. Apparently though, we are all still debating on who the bad ones are since the field is split concerning Fox News.
Rupert doesn't understand it, but that doesn't mean that hope is lost for you people.
Here is the underlying truth and principle. Whether you are Republican or Democrat, we are all journalists. We should all, "be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information."
Stop being played for a fool by quick catch phrases and word repetition.
Things like, "Obama's War" and "Obama's deficit" have no logic backing them since he didn't start either. Now, whether or not you think he is helping or hurting the problem is a different statement. Be smart and don't mix emotions and fears with logic and knowledge.
Change it instead to, "Bush's miserable mess, masterminded by Dick Cheney and voted on by the cowards in Congress that Obama just can't seem to get anyone to work with him on."
Wow, that was easy, maybe one day I too can work for Fox. As long as I still question Obama's birth certificate I am a shoe-in.
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