Law, Ethics and News Literacy
Law, ethics and news literacy in journalism ensure accurate, fair and responsible reporting. They help journalists navigate legal boundaries, uphold ethical standards and evaluate information effectively.
Law
Understanding law in student journalism is crucial for responsible reporting. I have written several stories that delve into state laws.
"Proposed gun and ammunition tax holiday sparks controversy"
This story examines the legal implications of proposed legislation, Senate Bill 344, which would create a tax holiday for firearms and firearm-related items. Reporting on this required me to ensure accurate representation of lawmakers' arguments and the potential consequences of the legislation while navigating the ethical and legal responsibility to inform the public. By incorporating perspectives from both proponents and critics, I upheld fairness and avoided bias, a key legal and ethical obligation in journalism. Additionally, I responsibly cited public data and legislative details. I was able to interview two state representatives for this story, which further ensured accuracy, as they were directly involved with opposing the bill.
"Governer Brian Kemp rejects federal summer food plan"
This story addressed the legal aspects of student journalism by requiring careful adherence to public accountability, ethical representation and the use of accurate data. Reporting on Governor Kemp’s decision to decline the federal Summer Food Service Program in favor of state-run initiatives meant ensuring fairness in how his actions and statements were represented while avoiding potential misrepresentation. Citing data on meal distribution and food insecurity required accessing and responsibly using public records, demonstrating the importance of transparency in journalism. Covering issues that impact children required sensitivity to privacy laws and ethical considerations. Through this story, I navigated these legal and ethical responsibilities to provide accurate and responsible reporting.
Ethics
Ethics in student journalism is essential for building trust, ensuring fairness and maintaining accuracy. Our advisor taught us the importance of ethics in Journalism 1, and I am committed to upholding an ethical standard in my reporting.
My Journalism 1 teacher introduced me to the fundamentals of ethics in journalism, which have shaped my approach to reporting. Watching the documentary on Stephen Glass helped me understand the consequences of fabricating stories and the importance of integrity in journalism. Through slideshows and readings, I learned about accuracy, fairness, and accountability, which are essential for maintaining credibility. These lessons remain central to my work; I apply them every time I write a story, ensuring my reporting is truthful, balanced, and respectful of my audience’s trust.
Ethical Practice: Links
Linking data and information found online is important to ensure transparency, credibility, and accuracy in journalism. It allows readers to verify sources, understand the context, and trust the information being presented.
Ethical Practice: Removing Editorializing
Removing editorializing is crucial in journalism to maintain objectivity. It ensures that reporting focuses on facts, allowing readers to form their own opinions without being influenced by a journalist's personal bias.
Ethical Practice: Backing up opinions with data
Backing up sources' opinions with data is essential to provide credibility, context and balance. It strengthens the story by supporting opinions with objective evidence, allowing readers to trust the reporting and make informed conclusions.
Ethical Practice: Interviews and Recording
Recording interviews protects journalists from libel by providing a clear record of what was said, ensuring quotes and statements are accurately represented. However, transparency is key—always ask for permission to record and ensure that quotes are used precisely, without altering the source’s intent or ideas.
Ethical Practice: Photo Credits
Giving photo credits is essential because it acknowledges the photographer’s work and ensures they receive proper recognition. It also promotes transparency by showing the source of the photo and reflects fairness and integrity in journalism.
Ethical Practice: Fact Checking
It is important to fact check information I am not sure about. Occasionally, I will miss an important detail in my interviews. I always reach out to the person I interviewed to make sure the published information is 100% accurate.
News Literacy
News literacy is important in student journalism because it helps reporters evaluate information, spot misinformation and share accurate stories. Being in both AP Seminar and AP Research has allowed me to easily evaluate the reliability of a news outlet. I constantly use these outlets for background information when I am shaping my stories.
GSPA Presentation: "Reporting on District News"
In my presentation at the GSPA Fall Conference, I focused on teaching how to take a national headline and create a relevant angle for a school community. This process demonstrates news literacy by helping others critically evaluate national news and adapt it to their local context. By sharing strategies for sourcing credible stories and connecting larger events to our community, I actively worked to improve news literacy among my peers, empowering them to think critically about the news they consume and report.
I often look at local and national news outlets (The Atlanta Journal Constitution, 11 Alive and Fox 5) when I am looking for stories to cover. Using local news outlets as story ideas helps me demonstrate news literacy by teaching me to evaluate credible sources and identify topics that directly impact my community. It shows I can find and adapt relevant issues to inform and engage my audience.