This document discusses ethics in journalism and summarizes several newspaper scandals over the years involving fabricated stories and plagiarism. It examines the Jayson Blair scandal at The New York Times in particular and considers what lessons can be learned about maintaining an ethical workplace and credible, trustworthy journalism. The document also raises ethical questions that could arise at the local newspaper level.
1. Ethics and Newspapers
Discussion About the Jayson Blair Episode
and What It Means To Us
Warren Watson
Arizona State University
2012
2. What is Ethics?
• The discipline dealing with what is right
and wrong and with moral duty and
obligation.
• A set of moral principles or values.
To be ethical is to conform to accepted
professional standards of conduct
3. Ethics: What a Time!
• Jayson Blair -- a 7,500-word bloodletting in
The New York Times after dozens of Blair
indiscretions and fabrications
• Manipulated photos in the Los Angeles Times
• Salt Lake City reporters selling stories to the
National Enquirer
• The Glass book
4. What of the Latest Problem:
Rick Bragg and Uncredited
‘Helpers?’
9. ‘Destruction
of the war ship
Maine was the
work of the
enemy’
‘Reward for the
conviction of
the criminals
who sent sailors
to their death’
10. 500 Percent Growth
• Hearst’s New York Journal enjoyed circulation
growth of 500 percent in 1902-03:
• “ The new journalism easily became yellow
journalism, fraudulent and sensationalistic,
selling violence, sex and scandal, and
preoccupied with nothing but circulation.”
circulation.”
--- Sharon Boswell, historian
11. 1920s: A March Toward Ethics
• In 1922, the American Society of
Newspaper Editors adopted the first Code
of Ethics and Canons of Journalism in the
history of newspapers.
• Important concepts: “A high trust,” “Honest
journalism,” “Accuracy,” “Impartiality,”
“Decency,” “Fair play.”
12. Growing Professionalism
• Franklin Roosevelt
• Press associations (AP, UPI)
• Journalism education
• Woodward and Bernstein
• But a growing competition with TV, radio
and the Internet by century’s end
13. The Pressure to Get it First …
…The Pressure to Get it Right!
14. • Janet Cooke (at right) 1981-98:
fabricates “Jimmy’s World” Infamous
in the Post and forfeits a
Pulitzer Indiscretions
• Chiquita Banana and Gannett
• Glass’s fictional non-fiction
in The New Republic
• The Boston Globe makes it
all up: Patricia Smith, Mike
Barnicle (right)
• Renewed calls to prosecute
the story
15. What About the Business?
What About Eroding Credibility?
“Why didn’t more of the subjects of
his (Blair) dozens of bogus stories
complain? … Are some readers so
jaundiced about the press that they
no longer even expect us to get stuff
right. Do they assume we just make
it up? Ouch.”
--- Jonathan Alter, Newsweek columnist
16. And What of the Deposed
Howell Raines?
• How much of a factor was
his almost arrogant,
“unrelenting ferocity,” in the
words of Newsweek?
• Is workplace culture at the
Times a factor in this
credibility crisis?
• What about your workplace
culture?
17. What Are the Lessons of Jayson Blair?
What Can We Take Away for the
Newspaper as a Whole?
How Do You Maintain an Ethical
Workplace?
18. Some of Your Ethicical Issues
• Undercharges at the Record-Eagle
• Stealing coupon inserts
• Role of the reporter and photographer
• Fairness in hiring
• Dealing with the big advertiser (auto dealer)
