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Should bloggers be held to the same code of ethics as professional journalists?
Should bloggers be held to the same code of ethics as professional journalists?
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Results so far:
| Yes | 61% | 152 votes | Total: 250 votes | |
| No | 39% | 98 votes |
Yes
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Add to FavoritesRecently, a friend of mine and well known local journalist, has literally been damaged by the writings of a blogger.
Basically the blogger wrote some things about this journalist and the local media and others, picked the information from the bloggers site and made in international news. This blogger cannot be found, tracked and his personal and basic information is hard to find, if it can be found at all. He even uses untraceable email accounts to cover his tracks.
I believe that bloggers should be accountable for their writing and hold the same ethics as professional journalists, if their blogs include comments and information about a certain person, product of piece of news that effects the lives of others.
Local media and other international journalists and writers, posted news based on the bloggers post/s. This is not a problem. What is the problem, is that the stories and articles posted, had no accountability.The blogger who originally posted, could not even provide a simple first name. He cannot provide any information to show he is accountable. He hides behind his blogger name, as many bloggers do. If what the bloggers write is based on professional ethics and behaviors and good journalism then why hide your name? Why hide your whereabouts. Why hide your personal facts and information. If they do not follow a code of ethics then they what they write could be deemed as simple gossip.
Not having personal information available, makes whatever the blogger posts, un trustworthy. If bloggers followed a code of ethics, similar to journalism, then they could not hide behind a fake names and un recoverable email address.
They would have to be accountable for their words and therefor gaining the trust of the readers who read their blogs.
A person's life and journalistic name has been ruined and distorted, making finding journalistic work harder to secure and obtain. I wonder if this blogger and others would blog what they do, if they had to follow a code of ethics. I wonder if bloggers would write what they do, if their name had to be attached to the posts they make.
If bloggers held the same code of ethics as professional journalism (though bias is slowly deteriorating),if anyone wanted to discuss what they wrote with them, they would be able to easily locate them and connect with them.
Bloggers, at the very least, need to show some accountability towards the items they post, by adding a picture or real name and email to contact. Would you ever hire a person or company to do work for you if they least, did not provide a valid contact number and name? Probably not. So why would you believe the posts of a blogger, who seems already worried about the damage his/her words may cause, by not even letting the public know what his/her name is.
If you are going to sell something. Anything. It helps to have a professional contact information, so that you, the consumer and reader, can validate for yourself, whether to believe what has been written by researching the items being sold.
Not everything you hear, see or read is true. If the bloggers stood behind a code of ethics, you would at the very least, be able to find the information posted and determine for yourself if it is based on true, journalistic research and bias.
Learn more about this author, Louise Ciccone.
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No
While there are certain ethics all writers who give voice to words (be they blogger or professional journalist) should follow regarding plagiarism, slander and truthfulness, there is a distinct difference in the realm of blogging verses being a professional journalist.
Media sourcing tends to put a professional journalist in front of a larger audience where he or she would need to give considerable thought and attention to the news and information being shared. The repercussions of a professional journalist lack of ethics has severe consequences for his or her career and creditable believability.
A bloggers ability to prejudice, incite or hurt a person due to differences of opinion or belief (when blogging) while damaging, would be limited to that individuals followers and small population of word of mouth exposure. Yes, they can be held accountable for slanderous comments as seen in a recent situation regarding inappropriate comments left on Twitter. Still a bloggers exposure to a wider audience pales in comparison to a professional journalist.
A professional journalist is out in the public eye, having the ability to sway the world. His or her article, news piece, or TV appearance has a greater chance of being picked up by several syndicated newspapers, magazines and news stations. A bloggers audience tends to be far smaller.
Regarding sources, a blogger doesn't necessarily need to be tied to the same code of ethics as a professional journalist. A journalist has his reputation at stake, his credibility, (not that a blogger doesn't) but as a professional he or she would want to follow the rules of ethics regarding truth, protection of source and presenting factual information. A professional journalist would never give way to careless assumption, which could later bite them in the proverbial butt, ending their professional career. A blogger usually blogs for self, so he or she wouldn't worry so much about reputation.
A blogger isn't necessarily a professional blogger. He or she isn't, in most cases, affiliated with some major writing source. This doesn't mean they can't cause damage by not considering what they blog about and can't be held accountable for misconduct. A professional takes sort of an oath regarding their work and a blogger doesn't, so how could the same moral ethics apply?
While bloggers and professional journalist share a commonality of writing. A blogger will usually touch on whatever affects them personally. Often giving more of a personal view on matters. A professional journalist is usually assigned a specific job and will need to approach his or her assignment without bias. Two different approaches, which shouldn't be bound by the same codes of writing ethics.
What it comes down to in the matter of ethics, is whether or not the blogger or professional journalist are bound by certain laws and principles. When a professional steps out into the lime light they are inviting public opinion be it good or bad. Largely the reaction of their audience depends upon the way they go about presenting their information. So by all means they would need to be ethically correct. There is definitely more at stake with a professional journalist than there is with a blogger.
Learn more about this author, Melissa R. Bickel.
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