The Professional

Mind of a Journalist pg. 13-42

The Priesthood of Journalism includes four aspects: Journalism as the Fourth Estate- Unofficial fourth check of the government Journalistic Inbreeding- Norms, ethics, and expertise learned through other journalists Separation- always remaining objective about the story, regardless of history or circumstance Confidentiality- honoring peoples wishes to remain anonymous The three main problems with journalists granting confidentiality to their sources: 1. Anonymous sources are often perceived by readers or viewers as less credible than stories in which the source is named. 2. Granting confidentiality means a source can say whatever he or she wants without having to be accountable for that statement or allegation. 3. If anonymous sources make allegations of ethical or legal wrongdoing against a person and the accused person sues for libel, the judge can find the reporter in contempt of court for not revealing the sources identity. Involvement vs. Detachment New Journalism belief- immerse yourself in the story Emotional and professional detachment Ambiguity High and low context scales- what are the differences Less is more- referring to writing style Diversity among Journalists Factors that influence journalists Beliefs, Attributes, and Values Factors that influence journalists What are they? (definitions) Journalist's View of the World: Myth of journalism Journalists ability to be 100 percent objective, as we are all members of different specific cultures Difference between worldview and being biased. News as a Reflection of the world: American journalism is different than the rest, because of the level of optimism present in this country. Different events are "newsworthy" compared to other countries. Cultural Immersion: Is it possible to shed your original culture? If so, would it help with objectivity in journalism?