Reuters and Los Angeles Times grapple with social media complications; student journalists find themselves the target of a probe — this time by prosecutors

VARIOUS DATELINES
Several stories dealing with journalism ethics topped the news last week. Among them:

• Dean Wright, Reuters’ global editor for ethics, innovation, and news standards, addressed the question of whether journalists in the age of blogging and social media can rise above their political beliefs and produce unbiased coverage. Wright warned on his blog that journalists “don’t do ourselves any favors when we use social media like Facebook and Twitter to express opinions on politics or policy issues, then find that we have to cover the issues we’re sounding off about…. Journalists shouldn’t engage in public activity — either online or offline — that could call into question their ability to report a story fairly…. That said, I do believe that journalists can have strong political, religious, and social views and still cover their beats with independence and freedom from bias. Again, that’s the essence of professionalism.”
• The Los Angeles Times updated its social media guidelines last week, advising its employees that “integrity is our most important commodity: Avoid writing or posting anything that would embarrass The Times or compromise your ability to do your job.” The new standards also warn employees to assume that everything they write on a social media site is public, cautioning that “just as political bumper stickers and lawn signs are to be avoided in the offline world, so too are partisan expressions online.” The code also instructs staffers to be aware of perceptions. “If you ‘friend’ a source or join a group on one side of a debate, do so with the other side as well. Also understand that readers may view your participation in a group as your acceptance of its views; be clear that you’re looking for story ideas or simply collecting information. Consider that you may be an observer of online content without actively participating.”
• Students at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism have become noted for an investigative project that looks into the cases of convicted criminals. But now, reports U.S. News & World Report, the students themselves are suddenly in the legal spotlight. Cook County, Illinois, prosecutors have demanded all materials, emails, course outlines, syllabi, training materials, and grades related to the case of a man serving a life sentence for murder and armed robbery. Students say the evidence implicates two other men in the murder. ABC News reports that the prosecutors say they need all of the evidence so they can determine if the convict deserves a new trial, saying in court filings that two witnesses claim the students offered them money in exchange for their interviews. Prosecutors say the students’ activities have morphed from academics to investigative journalism, making their materials susceptible to subpoena. Critics of the Illinois prosecutors contend that the government is attempting to retaliate against the students, whose work has resulted in the overturning of several convictions. As this issue of Newsline went to press, the university had not complied with the subpoena.

Sources: Reuters, Nov. 20 – Los Angeles Times, Nov. 20 – U.S. News & World Report, Nov. 16.

For more information, see: Related Newsline Commentary, Nov. 16 — Related Newsline story, Nov. 16 — Related Newsline story, Oct. 19 — Related Newsline story, Oct. 12 — Related Newsline story, Sep. 8.