Say "Sorry"
For my first blog here, I have written about what superpower do I want to possess if I ever get a chance to have one, and I answered "the power to turn back time." And I will still stand with that dream of mine, especially if I ever become a journalist. Most of the code of ethics in journalism that I know are quite related to what we were taught when we were kids. This one that I will talk about is pretty memorable, not only personally but to everyone because our parents have taught this rule to us:
"If you made a mistake, say sorry."
Media accountability is an important ethical framework that increases professionalism in media. In media, when something is written, one has to be accountable towards the consequences of the disseminated messages. The mushrooming media and unprofessional journalistic practice have time and again raised the question in the credibility of media. In the race of increasing viewership, sensationalized news, lack of proper sources and verification of sources has repeatedly created confusions.
Basically, accountability means owning what you have given to the public and accept any criticism the audiences give regardless of its form.
Credible news wins the trust of the audience and for any media to survive, audience trust is important. While maintaining accountability, first of all, a journalist must understand their duties. In society, one gets the true respect only when they are dutiful of oneself. This respect is the power they can carry. With this power, a journalist can play the role of watchdog and thus, work efficiently. They can look for truth and maintain check and balance in the society.
If you are a journalist, you need to gain the trust of the masses and that is through being consistent of providing them accurate information. For example, CNN, ABS-CBN News and Affairs, GMA News and Rappler provide us news that does not make the public doubt their article since through the years, they have gained the trust of the Filipino audience. On the other hand, RMN and PEP.ph, for example, since they are not consistent in giving us factual and accurate news and they had issues before regarding publishing propagandas online, we still doubt their articles whether it is true or not.
So, how do we look for accountable news sources? First, we need to remember that accountable sources usually sign their stories and take personal responsibility for the content. Second, articles should have bylines (the names of the authors). An individual or group of individuals take personal and professional responsibility for the accuracy of the information in the article. Lack of a byline is a red flag indicating suspect content. The example given below is a good example of a credible and accountable news source since the organization put the name of the author and provided links for topics that might be questioned by the readers.
Here is the comparison of two news sources which reported the same news.
Plagiarism has been rampant especially in the age of social media. Plagiarism happens when you do not give credit to the original author and you claim their work. In 2012, Sotto's staff was accused with plagiarism by an American blogger when Senator Vicente Sotto copied parts of the blog in his speech. Because of this, Sotto's staff were held accountable and apologized for what they did. Just to highlight Rappler's article, transparency is shown simply by letting the audience know the date when the article was updated.
While maintaining the duty to the audience, a journalist should not discriminate the readers at any cost. Race, religion, culture, political ideology, language, and age can be some factors that can separate one person from another. A journalist while collecting and disseminating news must be careful not to discriminate the readers. A journalist must understand the sensitivity and thus should be in favor of protection of source. By following the journalistic ethics, one can make their profession worthy of pride.
Here is an example of a journalist act which tampered on social issues and race. In June 2020, Susan Li of Fox News used the deaths of black people to see how the economy and stock market of the United States increased in an infographic. Because of this, Fox News and Susan Li gained criticisms on Twitter , especially that time when Black Lives Matter movement was really loud. Here are few of the reactions:
See, once you have crossed the line of the code of ethics in journalism, you will lose the trust of your audience and your credibility and integrity as a news source.
The day after, Fox News apologized for the infographic that they sed. Unfortunately, we didn't hear anything from Susan Li regarding that issue but she carries the banner of Fox News and Fox News was held accountable for that matter.
Good news sources hire reporters with reporting or area expertise who have been educated in the processes of ethical journalism. Where new writers with other expertise are brought in, they are educated by the organization.
Mocha Uson has been providing the Duterte Diehard Supporters fake news and only the DDS believe her articles. Despite that, her articles still went viral online and reaches a lot of people. ANd when she was called out by the NBI, all she said was she was also a victim of propagandas. She never held herself accountable of the news she published but blamed the sources.
A good example of being accountable of misinformation of source is this video.
After this report, KTVU apologized for the wrong information that was sent to them. It was said that they were pranked by someone regarding the name of the pilots who died in the accident. However, they held themselves accountable of that matter and issued an apologize hours after the silly prank was aired on the national television.
Accountability is one of the most frequently cited ethical standards in Journalism. It is a phrase that can be understood as a belief where mass media is expected to be accountable in the public interest. They are anticipated to behave in certain ways that contribute to the public good.
To be accountable is also the same with accepting the mistake and taking the consequence of that mistake. The most important of all is that you never deny it as a journalist and apologize to the public.