Today we examine journalism ethics.
But first we need active reporters from every state. So please join me in an effort to change buisness as usual and start turning over rocks in states, counties, and cities that the MSM have ignored.
There is a wealth of information out there regarding every political division that has not been looked at in earnest since the days of Watergate.
Now we know Republicans project and pick our pockets at every turn. Money trumps patriotism for this crop as they have shown us by turning our legislative process into a farce and only working to enshrine into law handouts to their corporate paymasters. So we know they will do anything for money including starve children, turn the planet into a toxic waste dump, and spend our tax dollars on entertainment for the Klu Klux Klan.
I am looking for reporters. This means you, and you, and YOU!
Today I'm calling out Jesse La Greca to get on board. (PM me)
What you will be doing is looking at available information via search engines and municipal websites for the most part. I would like you to post what you have found but feel free to farm it out to another Kossack.
I will over the coming weeks do teach ins like I have below to show you how to optimize your efforts.
But first ethics.
The format here at Daily Kos is helpful in that regard because falsehoods are censured. But there are other things you need to know too. So follow me over the fleur-de-Kos.
From ths Society of Professional Journalists
Journalists should:
— Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
We don't need to lie. We can find plenty of earth shaking corruption if we bother to look.
— Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.
Yes let them provide a sound bite or outright lie/word salad to share with us.
— Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources' reliability.
By using public records and news stories available online we can link to them and provide instant source verification.
— Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
My advice is do not use anonymous sources. If the story is important however, contact the action group and we will get appropriate eyes on it.
Also if you get information via an anonymous source you can backtrack that info to find linkable sources.
— Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.
No man eats dog
— Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations.
Okay by label they mean ID the photographer, something I need to start doing. But we have no need to lie in any form.
— Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events. If re-enactment is necessary to tell a story, label it.
— Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story
— Never plagiarize.
— Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.
— Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.
— Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.
— Support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.
— Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.
— Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.
— Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.
— Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public's business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.
http://www.spj.org/...