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journalistic duty
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journalistic duty |
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Huan Yi Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688Waukegan 
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“Ogletree asked the panel to imagine a war between the hypothetical countries of North and South Kosan. The United States was backing South Kosan, and indeed American troops were deployed in the field alongside South Kosanese forces. The North Kosanese offered to allow Jennings and a crew to film them behind their lines. Would Jennings go? Of course, he answered. Then Ogletree introduced the ethical dilemma: While filming the North Kosanese, you see they are setting up an ambush for an approaching column of American and South Kosanese soldiers. What do you do? Would you stand by and film as the North Kosanese opened fire on the Americans? Jennings pondered the question. "Well, I guess I wouldn't," he said finally. "I am going to tell you now what I am feeling, rather than the hypothesis I drew for myself. If I were with a North Kosanese unit that came upon Americans, I think that I personally would do what I could to warn the Americans." He went on to say he would warn the Americans even if it meant losing the story, even if it meant losing his life. But this admirable display of patriotic duty was short-lived, for he was then upbraided by Mike Wallace. "I think some other reporters would have a different reaction," Wallace said. "They would regard it simply as a story they were there to cover." Wallace was "astonished" at Jennings's answer, and he began to lecture him as he would an errant schoolchild. "You're a reporter," Wallace scolded. "I'm a little bit at a loss to understand why, because you're an American, you would not have covered that story." Didn't Jennings have a higher duty, Ogletree asked Wallace, than to roll film as American soldiers were being shot? "No," Wallace said. "You don't have a higher duty. No. No. You're a reporter!" Properly chastened, Jennings backed down. "I chickened out," he said. He had lost sight of his journalistic duty to remain detached from the story.” http://www.nationalreview.com/dunphy/dunphy200411190828.asp I actually saw the above episode. If in exchange and by virtue of granted access, an American reporter was made privy to an imminent planned terrorist attack on Americans, would/should his duty as a reporter obligate his silence at least until after that attack, (I seem to remember an old movie that had a very similar situation about the bombing of a night club)? |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
Why in the world would N. Kosan privilege a Western reporter with such information? At any rate, journalism is considered a profession: Should a doctor not treat the enemy? Should a lawyer not defend the enemy to the best of his ability? Should a teacher poorly teach the children of the enemy? |
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Huan Yi Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688Waukegan |
Brad, “At any rate, journalism is considered a profession: Should a doctor not treat the enemy? Should a lawyer not defend the enemy to the best of his ability? Should a teacher poorly teach the children of the enemy?” Should an American reporter abet an enemy, (by his silence before an attack), in killing Americans? John |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
I've already answered the question. A journalist, insofar as they are a journalist, should report the news, not make it. If we wish to eschew journalistic ethics, you can still make an argument for the same scenario. N. Kosanian trust may be more important in the long run. Of course, they are also human and will decide what to do at that time. |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
Of course, this is still tecnically a null argument. A journalist, insofar as they are a journalist and is capable of doing so, should report the plan of the surprise attack, should they not? [This message has been edited by Brad (11-20-2004 08:51 AM).] |
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Huan Yi Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688Waukegan |
Brad, “Of course, this is still tecnically a null argument. A journalist, insofar as they are a journalist and is capable of doing so, should report the plan of the surprize attack, should they not?” No, he gains access in exchange for his silence until his hosts deem appropriate; same as reporters on our side are forbidden to disclose operational plans before they are put into effect, (imagine if having found out before Midway, the Tribune had a headline: “U.S. Intelligence Breaks Japanese Code!”). “Why in the world would N. Kosan privilege a Western reporter with such information?” Oh, for a number of self-serving reasons, and I can imagine a reporter, a Frenchman for example, jumping at the opportunity, (in the movie I remember, the journalist agrees to silence in exchange to be at the right place at the right time to capture movie images in the immediate aftermath of a terrorist bombing of a nightclub). “A journalist, insofar as they are a journalist, should report the news, not make it.” So we know where you stand. Let’s ask this though: is not the reporter’s silence an ingredient abetting the event to then be reported on; that the event may be in some part for his view and through him his audience and so his participation and silence encourage the event? John |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
But so is a doctor, a lawyer, and a teacher. If a doctor saves the enemy's life, he can kill again. If a lawyer sets the man free, he can kill again. If a teacher teaches, say, engineering well, the enemy knows how to build better weapons. But, I agree, though not perhaps in the way you intended, this whole embedded thing does not embody a journalistic ideal -- independence. Again, sometimes you have to make sacrifices in either direction. Nobody said ethical decisions were easy. They just aren't paradoxical. |
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Huan Yi Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688Waukegan |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4040815.stm |
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Brad Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705Jejudo, South Korea |
So you think we should be like them. Now I understand. |
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