Journalistic ethics at internet speed
, BBC News
If journalists do have an obligation to be measured and deliberate in their writing, how do they avoid being swamped by others who are less concerned with these sorts of things?
All of this had me wondering about the danger presented by the modern world of online opinion journalism: namely the consequences of the pressure to produce reactions and opinions at greater and greater speed.
Being first is rewarded by increased web traffic, which tends to encourage snap (shallow?) judgements and a failure to adequate check the veracity of sources.
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If journalists do have an obligation to be measured and deliberate in their writing, how do they avoid being swamped by others who are less concerned with these sorts of things?
If another outlet can be faster and get the story right, it deserves accolades. But if in the need for speed, erroneous information gets reported, it tarnishes the image of that outlet. During the Marathon Bombing reportage, for example, after several errors were reported on-air by the major cable news network, the local sources of information became the go-to sources. The local news broadcasts – and, in particular, the Boston Globe and its print and online coverage – provided far more thorough and thoughtful reporting. (Full disclosure: a former student was part of the team at the Globe that won the Pulitzer for breaking news this year for its bombing coverage.)
If a news outlets becomes known as both swift to report when possible but more often than not accurate in its reportage, that seems to be a positioning that will draw viewers and readers.
The pressure to be first might always be there, but I’m not sure it’s as much of an either/or situation. Getting the news and getting the news right seems more important than being the first.