Seeing is Believing?

Peace Journalism is defined “when editors and reporters make choices - of what to report, and how to report it - that create opportunities for society at large to consider and value non-violent responses to conflict”. (Lynch and McGoldrick, 2005)

Peace journalism shows backgrounds and contexts of conflicts; hears from all sides; explores hidden agendas; highlights peace ideas and initiatives from anywhere at any time. Journalists play as much of a role in modern conflict as do armed forces. In today’s very visual world, public statements and words can become “weapons of choice” for both politicians and the media. The media has a crucial role in how the public understands conflicts and therefore bears a heavy responsibility to ethics and the choice of words they must use when delivering a message.

Peace journalism argues that the existing mainstream media sensationalizes war, promotes propaganda and misinformation,  along with worsening a conflict rather than contributing to a solution.

The assumption then states that more balanced reporting will increase awareness of the issues at stake by:

·      Illuminating structural and cultural violence as it bears upon the lives of people in conflict arena as part of the explanation for violence.

·      Framing conflicts as consisting of many parties, pursuing many goals.

·      Making peace initiatives and potential solutions more visible, whoever suggests them.

·      Equipping people to distinguish between stated positions, and real goals, when judging whether particular forms of intervention are necessary or desirable.

It has been stated that ‘war journalism’ frames war as a zero-sum game with one clear winner and the other side an enemy. While ‘peace journalism’ looks for initiatives to be taken and tries to find a positive gain for all parties involved.

Peace journalism can be traced back to 1997 with Johan Galtung, Norwegian sociologist, the founder of peace studies and peace research,  who describes the mainstream and dominant style of journalism today as ‘war/violence journalism’. Given that, a conclusion can be drawn that the media can also play a positive role in promoting peace and reconciliation.

The main concepts in peace journalism include the following:

     

      ·      truth-oriented, exposing lies and deception on all sides
      ·      people-oriented, focusing on suffering on all sides and on people as peace-makers    

      ·      solution-oriented, identifying creative initiatives that lead to resolution, reconstruction, and reconciliation.

Journalists and the media have a responsibility to respect the universal values of the diversity of culture, promote peace and show all sides rather than framing their message as “them versus us”.

Source: WACCglobal

Youtube as a Source of Journalism

YouTube over the years has served as a media source for news organisations and citizen journalists providing millions of viewers with news around the globe. This media platform has allowed news organisations, and increasingly, citizen journalists to post their stories on a frequent basis for easier view and access to interested people.

A recent research project by the Pew Research Centre’s Project for Excellence in Journalism analysed various popular new stories on YouTube and determined that there was a relationship between citizens and news organisations. Not only were citizens sharing their own work but those of the news organisations as well.

The ethical dilemma lies in what they are sharing. To what extent is this news piece taking into account safety laws for example when depicting children? Citizen journalists post information that may be copyrighted by the news organisations. There is also the problem of falsification and verification. With a YouTube video, there is little knowledge regarding who produced the video and how to verify the sources.

YouTube recently announced a tool that aims to improve citizen journalism and give journalists an opportunity to take their news one step further. This new tool allows videos to blur people in order to protect anonymity, which provides security in conflict zones and to children. This can be beneficial in the long run but poses a difficult challenge in verifying sources.

Have a read of Journalism UK’s “YouTube adds Face Blurring as Citizen Journalism Tool” which describes the pros and cons of the this new tool for citizen journalists.

Unethical Media May Be Contributing to the "Copycat Effect"

(Image courtesy of Colorado based graphic designer Mark Rantal)

"Bring as much crime scene tape as you can.” These were the words that rang out from police audio scanners at 1:27 am in Aurora, Colorado. It became clear within seconds that gunfire in the Aurora Century Theater was not special effects at the Dark Knight Rises premiere. Rather, it was that of an un-empathetic man, armed to the teeth with a medley of weapons including explosives, tear gas, and an AR-15 assault rifle, among others. The shooter also donned green camouflage pants as part of his sinister accouterment. As the death toll piled up, the scanners would continue to ring unremittingly through the night, and well into the morning.

Now, as a grieving nation, the U.S. cannot help but examine where and how things went wrong. Of course, this incident is not the first of its kind —serving as an unwarranted reminder of Columbine, the Red Lake Massacre, and Virginia Tech, to name a few. As the nation attempts to reconcile the Aurora shooting, which so far has left 12 dead and 58 injured, one inevitability is the passing of the blame.

Parents, lawyers, state officials, all of the bereaved will scour the incident with a fine-toothed comb until an idea is fixated upon which can justify the tragedy. Some are quick to blame the stress and pressure men have in society to be the Beta Male, (a quick glance at statistics shows the assailants to be overwhelmingly male), others will plaster the blame on violent video games, and still others blame religion (or lack thereof), sexual tension, lack of positive role models, and the media. In fact, none of these factors are necessarily wrong. The media for example, or rather the unethical media, have certainly been called into question for their alleged contributions to violence.

When the media shows extensive coverage of a killer, i.e. putting his or her face on the cover of magazines, newspapers, T.V. etc. it puts an international spotlight on someone previously anonymous. Generally speaking, the personality model associated with those partaking in killing sprees is antisocial, unpopular, and yearning for attention. When the media conducts extensive research on the murderer and publishes it to an international audience, the murderer may relish in undeserved attention. Ultimately this was his or her goal in the first place: to bask in the glory of recognition. The media may provide the assailant this courtesy, by shifting the balance of stories toward the killer, inadvertently turning him or her into an iconic figure. In Clayton Cramer’s award winning Essay “Ethical Problems of Mass Murder Coverage In The Mass Media,” Cramer quotes Fisher Ames from the Palladium, in which he says “the spirit of imitation is contagious.” Mr. Cramer goes on to chronicle how serial killers have been engrossed by the media attention surrounding their crimes, which he suspects might their primary fueling agent.

It is largely up to the media to contain this contagion. The stories that are run about the killer could decidedly determine how much influence he or she will have. Even minute details such as nicknames for the killer could result in him or her achieving an exaggerated, almost mythical status over time. This could in turn lead to him or her serving as a  role model to others prone to violent behavior. By focusing on the victims and other details surrounding the tragedy, and not the killer, we can help to nullify what has become known as the “Copycat Effect.” The Copycat Effect is exactly what it sounds like, and not surprisingly, the Aurora case has already birthed two copycats, within just days following the incident.

For a list of 5 ways you might be able to help the Aurora victims online, click here. 

Pondering the "Media Spectacle"

Visual images surround the world we live in. Those images have become central to how we see, make meaning, and communicate in the world around us. In many cases, even our culture has become increasingly visual. Over the course of the last two centuries, Western culture has come to be dominated by visual rather than oral or textual media. Even the realm of the printed word: the newspaper, has turned to images. This must raise consciousness of the power images could have in affecting the way we see the world. In his Hall states “It is the participants in a culture who give meaning to people, objects, and events…It is by our use of things, and what we say, think and fell about them-how we represent them-that we give them meaning.”

The OJ Simpson trial is a perfect example of how images and mega-spectacles were used to create a media spectacle sensationalizing murder and celebrity while blurring the lines between information and entertainment creating the era infotainment.

•       Mega-spectacles fixate attention on events that distract people from the pressing issue of their everyday lives with endless hype on shocking crimes, sports contests and personalities.

•       Media culture, arbitrates social and political issues, deciding what is real, important, and vital.

•       The O.J. Simpson murder case became a national obsession and cultural arena, which dramatized society's conflicts around, race, gender, class, and celebrity and demonstrated that contemporary US politics was being fragmented into what became known as “identity politics”.

•       The mega-spectacle played to one of the largest audiences in TV history and was deemed the major news story of 1995.

•       By June 14, every major newspaper and TV outlet in the country was on the story.

•       Ten helicopters broadcasted live pictures of the famous Friday night chase.

•       Television and journalism during the O.J. Simpson trial became a media spectacle and dramatized addictive entertainment story.

•       This represented the merging together of law, money, celebrity, politics, and media culture, with massive audience becoming totally immersed in the mega-spectacle, living their lives through passionate immersion in the murder case and trial.

•       The Simpson era was a time of over thirty civil wars throughout the world, indicating a dangerous new world disorder

•       The O.J. Simpson mega-spectacle came to dominate the national mediascape for years, displacing other issues from the forefront of attention.

It is up to the individual to critically think, act like their own agent, and deconstruct reality. One must be involved in cultural and social reproduction where you must critically look at everyday experiences and decide for ourselves what we take in or reject from the media messages. This can only be done by understanding the world and slowly peeling away the layers.

Sources: Media Spectacle by Douglas Kellner

Felix Salmon on Media Ethics

(Image via Marion Maneker)

This day and age it is important to understand the role of media ethics. As Felix Salmon states in his “Media Ethics and Transparency article”:

I come to the conclusion that all too often they do a very good job of banning harmless activity, while at the same time proving quite ineffective against situations which are far more ethically problematic.

Social media has become a significant tool in journalism. The shift to social media by many has also impacted how media ethics are viewed. Digital journalism poses a risk creating challenges for journalists. As a journalist there are obligations and standards that must be adhered to, and more often that not it is easy to lose the sense of professionalism with social media. Salmon goes on to say:

What would ethics look like in a world which is messier and more transparent? For one thing, we would spend less effort ring-fencing journalists’ lives and conflicts, and more time simply being open about them. The end result could actually be a significant improvement.  

Sources and the relationships with journalist is another important factor regarding ethics. It is obvious that a journalist needs sources to build relationships to gain access to information but the question lies in to what extent are these relationships being formed.

A final point is determining what is considered ethical and unethical journalism? This is a very difficult question to answer, as this is dependent on the news organization, journalist or culture. It is important factor in journalism and something journalists need to consider and understand why it matters.

We urge you to read through Felix Salmon’s point of view on media ethics and transparency here.

Black Money

The United Kingdom has been a major player in supplying Saudi Arabia with arms before the Al Yamamah deal. Finally, in 1985 the arms deal was signed between the United Kingdom under Margaret Thatcher, and Saudi Arabia under Prince Bandar. The deal involved technology transfers, import substitution, the development of the Saudi technical, professional and managerial skills, and the effective use of Saudi Arabian resources. The UK Government's prime contractor for the project is the BAE Systems. Bribes have always been a way of practicing international business, and many argue that it is customary, and the only state that had made this illegal was the United States of America with the signing of the FCPA.

The Saudi Princes and their spouses began to live extravagant lifestyles. Private charters were sent for shopping trips, honeymoons became first class voyages around the world, 17 million dollars was used for the restoration of a private home, and 2 billion dollars was wired to Washington in the Al Yamamah account, along with an airplane that was painted in the colours of the Dallas Cowboys. The problem with this was that the money came from business accounts, or what The Guardian referred to as “slush funds”, making the BAE guilty of bribery and illegal business practices.

David Leigh, of The Guardian, had decided to do some investigative journalism into the Al Yamamah arms deal. He did not see this as ethical business practice. Along with the help of the Serious Fraud Office and Edward Cunningham, former BAE employee who came forward with evidence and thousands of receipts, the investigation into BAEs practices commenced.

Saudi Arabia decided to fight back against these allegations. A letter was sent to the UK stating that if the investigations by the Serious Fraud Office were not dropped, the deal between them would be finished, along with any further diplomatic practices and the fight against terrorism. This created a catch 22 for the BEA. The Al Yamamah deal has created thousands of jobs in the UK and is said to be worth around 10 billion dollars, giving their economy a large boost. Therefore, jobs and the economy were at stake, along with diplomatic relations between the two states. When Prime Minister Tony Blair visited the United States he was asked about the secrecy and bribes that were linked with the Al Yamamah deal. He responded that any investigation into the deal will compromise thousands of jobs, and that seemed to be the only thing that mattered.

From these accounts it is clear that bribery was necessary and justified by the British Government, but the question still stands, is this ethical business practice? When Prince Bandar was asked if there is corruption in deals with the Saudi royal family, he responded "Yes. So what? We did not invent corruption.” It seems as if corruption and bribery within the international business world is necessary, let alone mandatory, to do business. If one company does not practice it, they can lose out on an important deal, because there is always someone who is willing to practice this unethical way of business.

In the Al Yamamah deal, black and white, good and bad, right and wrong became very fuzzy and a gray area was the only thing seen. This deal created thousands upon thousands of jobs, along with a contract that was worth around 40 billion dollars. The question stands, should the BAE practice only ethical business and lose their client and everything that comes with it, or do they continue with the bribery to keep their clients satisfied? The answer to this question, as discussed earlier, is not a simple one. The only way for international business to be ethical is for all the players to act in the same manner. Ethics can only exist if it is practiced by everybody.
Watch the full video at: PBS.org

Were Mexican Election Protests Censored by the Media?

Enrique Peña Nieto, the former governor of Mexico just won the Presidential election and is now the presumed President-elect of Mexico. Many took this news unfavorably, as Peña Nieto is a member of Mexico’s Institutional Revolutionary Party, (PRI).  The PRI are not particularly known for acting with citizens’ best interests in mind. They have a reputation for coercion, electoral fraud, and ensuring their maintenance of power at all costs, (for over 50 years PRI won consecutive presidential elections in Mexico, each time by a 70% margin—a statistic which is likely attributed to foul play).

In response to the news, Mexicans took to the streets in protest. Many marched to show their disagreement with the election results, bearing signs similar to this one which has appeared on social media:

Which translates to: “Don't ask me to respect the results of a process/system you did not respect.” This protest went viral, appearing on Facebook, trending on Twitter, and making a presence on other social media as well, resulting so far in some international attention. What is peculiar however, is how Mexican media has remained largely silent and absent, in light of these protests. The protests are certainly not a mere blip on the radar, protestors are numbering in the tens of thousands and have taken to the streets of several major cities including Mexico City. 

In spite of this, the two media juggernauts Televisa and TV Azteca of Mexico hardly covered the news at all. This further bolsters the suspicion of many whom believe the Mexican media to have been paid off by the PRI. If this were true, it would pull them further away from attaining the ethical media the citizens deserve. The situation of the media is already severely manipulated, with the cartels systematically tracking down and killing journalists. Now many suspect the media to be taking illegal bribes from a corrupt government. Whether these accusations are true, one still must question why coverage of the protests has been largely absent.  


Source: Latino FoxNews

Polish Journalists Pay the Price for Unethical Sports Reporting

Euro 2012 recently came to its riveting conclusion as Spain made history setting the record for winning three consecutive Euro Championship trophies. Needless to say the media have been quite abuzz. In the midst of Spain’s record setting victory, journalists find themselves endeavoring the uneasy task of reporting in such a way that will satiate emotionally charged fans on both sides of the spectrum: the dejected and the joyous. Not unlike other reporters, sports journalists must pay great attention to detail, get behind the scenes coverage of the important people involved (teams, coaches, general managers), and remain impartial. Yet they face many greater challenges beyond that. When the event is international as was the case with Euro 2012, reporters must be mindful toward the varied cultures and their societal norms, rules of etiquette etc.

This was not the case with Eska, a Polish rock station based out of Warsaw. Journalists Michal Figurski and Kuba Wojewodzki are in some hot water due to remarks they made while broadcasting for Euro 2012. While commenting on Ukraine’s 1-0 loss to England, the two in question made vulgar and degrading comments towards Ukrainian women.  They mocked their Ukrainian housekeepers for frequently being in the kneeling position, even going so far as mentioning the possibility of raping them.

Source: Eska.pl 

The comments received wide backlash: Figurski and Wojewodzki immediately lost their jobs following the debacle. They are currently being investigated by prosecutors, the Polish Journalist’s Association, and National Broadcasting Council's Press Office, the latter of which might induce a heavy fine or revoke their broadcasting license for possibly violating Article 18 of the Polish Broadcasting act, which according to unofficial English translation states that:

[Broadcasters] may not include contents inciting to hatred or discriminating on grounds of race, disability, sex, religion or nationality.

If a criminal investigation is launched, the journalists might face up to three years in prison. It goes without saying that any comment that is boorish, degrading, or culturally insensitive should always be omitted in journalism (or just in general). This case also beckons journalists to learn about other cultures and their norms, so as to remain aware of what may be considered taboo or deemed inappropriate, since it largely varies. Ideally the commotion will further reinforce the ethics of the profession of journalists, and their need to staunchly adhere to them.

Source: iMediaEthics

July 4th: The Declaration of Internet Freedom

Days before the anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, Internet advocates, human rights organizations, and activist groups have banded together to create the Declaration of Internet Freedom. As a coalition created to oppose SOPA, ACTA, PIPA, and other attempts to control cyberspace, the Declaration of Internet Freedom has five key principles: Expression, Access, Openness, Innovation and Privacy. The document is “a set of principles providing a positive vision to preserve the Internet as a platform for speech, innovation and creativity.”

So far, the Declaration has been signed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Access Now, Amnesty International, the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF), Free Press, Human Rights First, Reporters Without Borders, as well as Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, to name a few. 

Censorship is defined as “the suppression of speech or deletion of communicative material which may be considered objectionable, harmful or sensitive, as determined by a censor.” During the 1990s, a Neo-Conservative view of the world could be summed up by referring to the “Globo-Cop” term. As this idea was rejected, one must keep in mind that the initiative to have one body controlling the entire realm of cyberspace is just as ludicrous of an idea.

In this digital age, the Internet has revolutionized politics, culture, economy and society, therefore, Internet censorship would not only leave many media outlets vulnerable but it would also restrict freedom of speech. The Internet was created with the idealistic idea that free exchange of information and ideas can break down cultural divisions, broaden education, and promote social development.

Cyber and media ethics therefore go hand in hand. As many media outlets have followed the trend of online information sharing, we have seen the rise of citizen journalism. Social media serves as a powerful tool for spreading information efficiently and in real-time.  Furthermore, this form of expression has allowed for information to travel farther, faster, and be made available longer. Would it be ethical to shut down an outlet for free speech and timely information sharing? Though this Declaration might only be a guide to how the Internet should look, it will force debates and discussions about Internet freedom and hopefully stop it from becoming a one-way-medium.

To find out more about the Declaration of Internet Freedom, to read the preamble or the Declaration itself, or to sign it, click here.