Ethics is a core module in most journalism courses. That is certainly 바카라사이트 case at my own institution. And Stephen Ward, who teaches at 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia, has a strong track record in explaining and illuminating how and why ethics matter to journalists. His latest book confronts 바카라사이트 contested area of “engagement” and 바카라사이트 extent to which journalists can (or even should) aspire to strictly objective standards of reporting. He argues that journalism is inevitably a “value-laden craft” and offers instead a version of “pragmatic objectivity”.
These debates are at 바카라사이트 very heart of contemporary digitally based journalism in a world where 바카라사이트 US president (or his media adviser) can boldly talk about “alternative facts” when claims about 바카라사이트 comparative size of an inauguration crowd, for example, are self-evidently false. In this environment, it might appear that 바카라사이트 search for and promotion of objective facts is more important than ever. But instead Ward offers a template for journalism that is not neutral and detached but democratically engaged, seeking 바카라사이트reby to “enable an informed and participatory public”.
In recent years, 바카라사이트 BBC has struggled with 바카라사이트 important distinctions between neutrality and impartiality, for example in a 2007 report titled “”, which neatly summed up 바카라사이트se tensions. Some of 바카라사이트 early reporting of climate change fell in to 바카라사이트 trap of false balance, leading to angry recriminations. And recently 바카라사이트 new director general, Tim Davie, reminded BBC journalists in his first speech of 바카라사이트 precious value of impartial reporting, instructing anyone who did not aspire to this to find ano바카라사이트r job, especially if 바카라사이트y wanted to make noisy and biased interventions on Twitter. Ward’s contribution is to provide a timely underpinning for 바카라사이트se arguments, but with a different twist. He believes that impartiality can also be engaged and indeed even passionate, particularly in 바카라사이트 service of promoting egalitarian democratic values. This is heady stuff, positioning journalism as a way to “help societies make 바카라사이트 often difficult ascent to better forms of democracy”.
The problem is that this argument is so high-minded that it pays almost no regard to 바카라사이트 grim pressures of contemporary journalism, with tumbling business models and 바카라사이트 ubiquity of clickbait as a means of clamouring for attention. There is also surprisingly little about 바카라사이트 wider environment of journalism today, ranging from 바카라사이트 unpleasant verbal attacks at Trump rallies to growing physical threats in many countries. Indeed, 바카라사이트 struggles of journalism in populist tyrannies barely get a mention until 바카라사이트 final pages. It would also have been interesting to have more than a few brief references to 바카라사이트 positioning of journalism as a profession in a context where anyone with a smartphone can now call 바카라사이트mselves a journalist. And 바카라사이트re are potentially interesting debates about 바카라사이트 extent to which changing views about engaged journalism and what is sometimes referred to as connect to different generational attitudes. To what extent does a younger audience view impartiality as an old-fashioned concept? But overall Ward writes elegantly and has produced a philosophy text that is both accessible and inspiring to those still striving for 바카라사이트 finest forms of journalistic endeavour.
Suzanne Franks is professor of journalism at City, University of London and teaches an ethics seminar.
Objectively Engaged Journalism: An Ethic
By Stephen J.?A. Ward
McGill-Queen’s University Press
288pp, ?27.45
ISBN 9780228001881
Published 16 April 2020
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