To: Society of Professional Journalists Ethics Committee
Dear Members,
From your webpage:
“Indeed, the code specifically calls on journalists to "clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic conduct," to "encourage the public to voice grievances against the news media" and to expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media."
In the spirit of those goals, I am writing to express concerns to your Journalist Ethics Committee. I am one of the citizens who rely on truth in journalism, and in fact view it as the single most important component of a healthy Democracy. I’ve lived my life trusting that this fundamental element existed, admittedly taking it for granted while people like you worked behind the scenes to ensure that it did. It truly is the glue that holds everything together, that has allowed our country to eventually right wrongs, to make informed decisions, to progress and to power that beacon of light across the globe that gives hope to so many.
That light has slowly been fading for over a decade now.
The result is that I no longer believe in truth in our American media. Quite frankly, typing that for the first time is not only sobering, but somewhat unsettling.
This isn’t about the politics of Liberalism or Conservatism, or whether Friedman lost and Keynes won in the end….. it’s about the tactics being used, the rules of the game being played. And the responsibility of the referees. We may have Whigs in 20 years, or a new economic guru but we must ALWAYS have the rules enforced or Democracy will become just another game that was rigged.
I will not stoop to hyperbole to make a point, nor will I paint with too broad a brush; I fully realize that most are honest, ethical and diligent reporters of fact. But I know what I see and hear, and frankly it is acrid to my other senses.
Whether the cause is the media consolidation, FCC laxity, personal greed or undue lobby influence, I do not claim to know. But I do know this, the proverbial Center has been moved. The moral center, the ethical center – that place from which we qualify ourselves to be independent, non-partisan and objective.
It took a COMEDIAN named Jon Stewart to shame CNN into dropping the Crossfire program, yet that format lives on as a standard on the top rated ‘news’ shows… justified by the intellectually disingenuous argument that showing two sides of a story is the only responsibility of the media, the dispassionate, objective referees. Truth has become a casualty when the event is framed innocently as “opposing opinions”. False premise-- there is True, and there is False.
But is it possible that standard is being applied to the political discourse only? And if so, why? When you report on a brutal rape or murder, do you feel compelled to show the two sides to that story? To give equal time to the rapist, his difficult life circumstances and lack of medical care for his ‘problem’? Yet our media today permits half-truths and even outright lies to appear under the guise of “just an opinion”, not subject to scrutiny when it comes to any issue even remotely related to political activity. It IS treated differently, and to the detriment of your own ethical imperatives.
Sure, the many fine watchdog groups will catch most of it and report on it.
Tomorrow.
In a different place than those news consumers will ever see. And so the lie lives, and spreads, and the cumulative effect of these lies is growing towards a tipping point in this society. David Gergen himself agrees that what we are now seeing is different than in times past, and that it is in effect crippling the ability of the government to do what we elected them to do—govern.
I’m an American first, an Independent second with respect for *all* sides of legitimate political debate. Key word there is Legitimate. What we see daily now is illegitimate debate, disinformation, and outright lies solely designed to create fear and chaos. It’s no secret that many worry that the result of this fear mongering could well be some very serious national tragedy. We see video clips of US
Has that Center moved so much, as our journalists become so sensitized to being labeled “Liberal Media”, that they are simply afraid to report the Truth that they see in front of them? I am not naïve enough to think that your Ethics panel isn’t well aware of the general point I make here, so my question isn’t Are you aware? but rather, What will you do about it?
I know it’s not a legal matter, and that your code requires the delicate balance cited earlier, and also your position on not “enforcing rules”. I got all that, and concur.
But your words also inform us that “recognizing the importance of each core value” is a key factor in deciding where or how to draw that line in determining what you report and how loudly you report it.
Can it not be said that the core value of truth is the very foundation upon which journalism is based? And when that core value is allowed to corrode, that your entire structure is compromised? Will history ask the question, Where were the referees?, as they do now about the Iraq war and the meltdown of the financial system?
My appeal to your board of ethics is to reconsider your role in maintaining that foundation, and in fact expressing your own 1st amendment free speech
Consider your actions, perhaps prepare, publish and promote a monthly report on Truth in Media. Put it EVERYWHERE, with fanfare because right now this democracy needs to know what is real and what is imaginary; where facts end and manipulation and demagoguery begin. Do a report card on each network and each major newspaper and columnist…. Don’t trust, verify. Then give our citizens your OPINION.
Thank you for your service to our country; it may never have been more important than it is today.
Sincerely,
I. Diogenes
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