PressEthic

An article in the Sports section of the New York Times on Tuesday discussed the impending imprisonment of Maurice Clarett, former freshman football standout at Ohio State University and repeated troublemaker. He played only one season (his freshman year) at Ohio State, in which he helped his team to a Fiesta Bowl victory over Miami with a touchdown in double overtime. So why are we still talking about him?

How often do we read an honest confession on unethical conduct? (Other than in Press Ethics classroom.) Well, here’s an outrageous one.

As I was reading "AM New York" on my train ride from Harlem, I was thoroughly impressed with Venzeuelan President, Hugo Chavez, and his brash, stark statements directed toward President Bush in a speech to the United Nation yesterday. According to "AM New York," Chavez stated, "The devil came here yesterday. . .the podium still smells of sulfur still today." (ha!) I appreciate Chavez stating the obvious. According to the article, Chavez feels like the Bush administration imposes its will on the world through wars in places from Iraq to Lebanon. I don't care what anyone else thinks, Bush has not only done that, but has continued to target Muslim people in this ongoing "war on terrorism." Oh, I can't forget to comment on the most depressing part of the article.

The Atlantic and the Harper's ran in-depth stories on the war on terror. The Atlantic story is headlined "We Win" and the Harper's story "American Gulag." I believe these two stories are, at the core, talking about the same thing.

The idea of women making more of a presence in ol’boys club of journalism sounds like good news, especially when considering that since the change in diversity is still in it’s early stages, in the future there maybe more women working higher up positions in the industry.

In an interview in The New York Times Magazine last Sunday, Lee Siegel, cultural critic for the New Republic, answers questions regarding his unethical behavior on his blog at the magazine, using an anonymous name to answer blistering criticism for his work. Siegel also used the nom de plume to praise his work as well.

When asked about what he did, Siegel says, "Of course it was wrong, and I am sorry I did it. I lost my footing and foolishly answered my anonymous detractors with misplaced satire." While initially admitting blame for what he had done, Siegel’s tone changes rapidly.

The recent presidential election in Mexico produced a situation not unlike what occurred in the United States in 2000. Coverage of the election aftermath in the United States has not always been balanced, giving more in-depth discussion to defeated candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador than to president-elect Felipe Calderon.

Independent Journalist and video blogger, San Fransisco based Josh Wolf, was interviewed last Friday along with Lance Williams of the San Fransisco Chronicle on Democracy Now! Both are facing action by a Grand Jury for issues involving their work as journalists. Likewise, both assert constitutional and ethical grounds for not complying with court orders. I assert the particulars of each case are different, and, in Josh's case, do not merit the value-laden argument he is waging.

Jon Stewart leveled a rather harsh barrage of insults towards CNN's Robert Novak this week on 'The Daily Show,' in response to a C-SPAN segment in which Novak described Stewart as a "self-righteous comedian." Stewart's response drew the attention of conservative media watchdogs. But should Stewart's show really be in the crosshairs of those attempting to reveal liberal media bias?

The New York Times is going to distinguish straight news reporting from analysis and opinion in a marginally helpful way.

A Salon news piece documents another incidence of the Bush administration using government officials as agents of its public agenda. In this case, scientists for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) were subjected to message control efforts by the White House. Two White House agencies, the Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, have actively restricted what scientists at NOAA and NHC are permitted to say to reporters about the link between global climate change and stronger storms.

What's the post-scooped procedure?

Readership at the New York Times is down because Americans are either watching the evening news or just simply aren't interested in the way the paper chooses to convery their stories. As a result of declining popularity, the Times is advertising. This wouldn't be such a problem however, I am confused as to who exactly they are targeting.

The currently raging controversy about the detention of Bilal Hussein, AP’s photographer in Iraq, is causing extra challenges for the newsreader. Since the Associated Press is front and center in the conflict, objective reporting becomes nearly impossible. Yet, many have grown to place much trust on the largest news organization in the world, and may find it increasingly difficult to formulate a personal opinion about Hussein’s situation.

Thus far, the rants of conservative bloggers, who have happily announced AP’s photographers in Iraq to be collaborating with local terrorist organizations, have seemed outwardly silly and unapproachable. Yet, for the first time, I logged on to their websites to consider the other side. Ironically enough, I did so thanks to the help of the Associated Press.

Ever found a photograph in the street? Maybe the people pictured are somehow responsible for a gruesome murder!