When I got your e-mail I had just finished reading about the CNN producer who was fired for having a personal blog. Of course, the first thing I did was read his blog, which is pretty funny, if a little heavy on the cynicism and snarkiness. CNN certainly didn't do themselves any favors by firing him in that way. It just ended up making them look like mainstream media fascists.
That being said, I like the NYT policy that personal blogs are personal. So don't write about what you cover. Just like I don't think you should walk around publicly debating your views on what you cover with strangers when you are a journalist.
Anyway, it's just unrealistic for news organizations to expect their journalists not to blog at all. Plus, why would you want to hire a group of people so out of touch with new media?
I think some common sense is in order. Journalists and producers should know that they can’t blog about the beats or the type of content they cover. At the same time, media management people should acknowledge that reporters have lives outside their jobs as well. It can also be seen as fitting that journalists would want to blog, writing is their skill and one that should be practiced often. Furthermore, he wasn't even a reporter, he was a producer. From the article the New York Times did on this issue, the producer claims it was never made clear to him he needed permission but CNN maintains it is an actual policy. Go figure. The blog did have strong opinions on politics and the media and it apparently had some popularity. In my opinion, a reprimand would have been in order but a firing is certainly a steep punishment for blogging especially since he claims he started it after being treated for a brain tumor. Some compassion is needed on CNN’s part.
No journalist is without his or her biases. Being a journalist involves supposedly suspending those biases in order to let people decide for themselves. Eventually, a journalist is going to get so pissed off they need to vent about what they write about. If a journalist wants to rant and rave on the internet, he should be able to. Everyone has an agenda, so don't get all up in arms about journalistic integrity. I have a right to free speech, so I should be allowed to talk about what I want to talk about, how I want to talk about it. Just because you're a journalist doesn't mean you are not a citizen.
Disclaimer: I don't consider myself a journalist, and I don't really want to. I have my opinions, I will broadcast them, I don't really care about any "responsibility" I may have. My journalistic idol is Hunter S. Thompson, a sort of anti-journalist.
To me, it's the same question of whether a journalist should be able to vote. Every person has the right to their personal life. And while the web means you will be leaving your footprint for all to find, what kind of sick person can't give everyone a little bit of leeway to be a REAL person?
It seems so stupid for CNN to have fired a producer over something in their personal life. It has the air of firing for someone for being gay (U.S. military, anyone?) Watch yourselves, CNN.
I agree journalists are entitled to their opinions just like any other person. However, as part of their profession they are ethically obligated to "remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility" (SPJ Code of Ethics.) Once journalists start mouthing off about controversial topics in a public forum, credibility flies out the window if they are ever expected to cover a story dealing with those topics upon which they have expressed a strong viewpoint. Internet readers may not make the distinction between the blogger as journalist and the blogger as private citizen, so I think journalists have to be really cautious about what they say. If they can't handle it, then they should switch professions.
On the other hand, CNN was at fault in this case, because it sounds like they did not have clearly-defined guidelines for blogging. Newsrooms and organizations should absolutely have clear rules and regulations for their employees when it comes to personal blogs if they expect to use them as the basis for firing one of their own.
Blogs are a whole new form of communicating. Therefore,it seems natural for journalists to want to communicate via blogs on their spare time. Just as doctors, lawyers, and teachers attend conferences to stay engage in their field. So should journalists with blogs. Reasonable people have to seperate daytime job from night job.
6 comments:
When I got your e-mail I had just finished reading about the CNN producer who was fired for having a personal blog. Of course, the first thing I did was read his blog, which is pretty funny, if a little heavy on the cynicism and snarkiness. CNN certainly didn't do themselves any favors by firing him in that way. It just ended up making them look like mainstream media fascists.
That being said, I like the NYT policy that personal blogs are personal. So don't write about what you cover. Just like I don't think you should walk around publicly debating your views on what you cover with strangers when you are a journalist.
Anyway, it's just unrealistic for news organizations to expect their journalists not to blog at all. Plus, why would you want to hire a group of people so out of touch with new media?
I think some common sense is in order. Journalists and producers should know that they can’t blog about the beats or the type of content they cover. At the same time, media management people should acknowledge that reporters have lives outside their jobs as well. It can also be seen as fitting that journalists would want to blog, writing is their skill and one that should be practiced often. Furthermore, he wasn't even a reporter, he was a producer. From the article the New York Times did on this issue, the producer claims it was never made clear to him he needed permission but CNN maintains it is an actual policy. Go figure. The blog did have strong opinions on politics and the media and it apparently had some popularity. In my opinion, a reprimand would have been in order but a firing is certainly a steep punishment for blogging especially since he claims he started it after being treated for a brain tumor. Some compassion is needed on CNN’s part.
-Patricio Chile
No journalist is without his or her biases. Being a journalist involves supposedly suspending those biases in order to let people decide for themselves. Eventually, a journalist is going to get so pissed off they need to vent about what they write about. If a journalist wants to rant and rave on the internet, he should be able to. Everyone has an agenda, so don't get all up in arms about journalistic integrity. I have a right to free speech, so I should be allowed to talk about what I want to talk about, how I want to talk about it. Just because you're a journalist doesn't mean you are not a citizen.
Disclaimer: I don't consider myself a journalist, and I don't really want to. I have my opinions, I will broadcast them, I don't really care about any "responsibility" I may have. My journalistic idol is Hunter S. Thompson, a sort of anti-journalist.
Cheers
To me, it's the same question of whether a journalist should be able to vote. Every person has the right to their personal life. And while the web means you will be leaving your footprint for all to find, what kind of sick person can't give everyone a little bit of leeway to be a REAL person?
It seems so stupid for CNN to have fired a producer over something in their personal life. It has the air of firing for someone for being gay (U.S. military, anyone?) Watch yourselves, CNN.
I agree journalists are entitled to their opinions just like any other person. However, as part of their profession they are ethically obligated to "remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility" (SPJ Code of Ethics.) Once journalists start mouthing off about controversial topics in a public forum, credibility flies out the window if they are ever expected to cover a story dealing with those topics upon which they have expressed a strong viewpoint. Internet readers may not make the distinction between the blogger as journalist and the blogger as private citizen, so I think journalists have to be really cautious about what they say. If they can't handle it, then they should switch professions.
On the other hand, CNN was at fault in this case, because it sounds like they did not have clearly-defined guidelines for blogging. Newsrooms and organizations should absolutely have clear rules and regulations for their employees when it comes to personal blogs if they expect to use them as the basis for firing one of their own.
-Kate Sullivan
Blogs are a whole new form of communicating. Therefore,it seems natural for journalists to want to communicate via blogs on their spare time. Just as doctors, lawyers, and teachers attend conferences to stay engage in their field. So should journalists with blogs. Reasonable people have to seperate daytime job from night job.
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