Comments on: Charities as journalists: distorting international reporting? http://www.charliebeckett.org/?p=827 Charlie Beckett comments on international journalism, media and society Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:23:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: The difference between NGOs and journalists « Gator in Guatemala http://www.charliebeckett.org/?p=827&cpage=1#comment-7783 The difference between NGOs and journalists « Gator in Guatemala Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:31:24 +0000 http://www.charliebeckett.org/?p=827#comment-7783 [...] Some NGOs are choosing to eliminate the middle man (journalist) and do the reporting on their own. Charlie Beckett, who often writes that journalism should involve the public more, noted in his blog that charities want people to see these international places in the same way that they do. I think it’s great that they want to get the word out. [...] [...] Some NGOs are choosing to eliminate the middle man (journalist) and do the reporting on their own. Charlie Beckett, who often writes that journalism should involve the public more, noted in his blog that charities want people to see these international places in the same way that they do. I think it’s great that they want to get the word out. [...]

]]> By: K.J. Wetherholt http://www.charliebeckett.org/?p=827&cpage=1#comment-7611 K.J. Wetherholt Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:55:20 +0000 http://www.charliebeckett.org/?p=827#comment-7611 I agree completely with the quote above in terms of charities garnering media literacy and having a strong adherence to ethics in reporting. If anything, charities should be more vigilant in this regard than most, considering that much these days depends on accountability and the ability to be a trusted source of information. The more self-serving the slant, the more the issue is buried under organizational solipsism, which one would think defeats what should be the true purpose of the report--exposure of issues which need coverage. The other thing which I think needs to be addressed is that there is a difference between what should be considered true, basic journalism and editorial. The lines are being blurred far too much these days, with reporters taking a rather editorial tone in their pieces. This used to be called "literary journalism"-- when such journalists were famous and were therefore given leave to make such editorial commentary. Now editorializing seems part and parcel of general journalistic tendency. If something is editorial, I'd truly welcome it own up to it and be labeled as such. ;) I've certainly had to do that with the HMF, and that distinction perhaps needs to be made. I agree completely with the quote above in terms of charities garnering media literacy and having a strong adherence to ethics in reporting. If anything, charities should be more vigilant in this regard than most, considering that much these days depends on accountability and the ability to be a trusted source of information. The more self-serving the slant, the more the issue is buried under organizational solipsism, which one would think defeats what should be the true purpose of the report–exposure of issues which need coverage.

The other thing which I think needs to be addressed is that there is a difference between what should be considered true, basic journalism and editorial. The lines are being blurred far too much these days, with reporters taking a rather editorial tone in their pieces. This used to be called “literary journalism”– when such journalists were famous and were therefore given leave to make such editorial commentary. Now editorializing seems part and parcel of general journalistic tendency. If something is editorial, I’d truly welcome it own up to it and be labeled as such. ;) I’ve certainly had to do that with the HMF, and that distinction perhaps needs to be made.

]]> By: Unrequired Reading {16.9.08 to 18.9.08 } — Adrian Monck http://www.charliebeckett.org/?p=827&cpage=1#comment-7598 Unrequired Reading {16.9.08 to 18.9.08 } — Adrian Monck Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:01:19 +0000 http://www.charliebeckett.org/?p=827#comment-7598 [...] Charities as journalists: distorting international reporting? | Charlie Beckett - "The news media needs to learn how to use public participation without cheating, while the charities need to learn some media literacy and ethics. This should be more than a PR fight. All of us want the public to be better informed about humanitarian and development issues, but distorting the message for short-term gains will not serve the greater truth." [...] [...] Charities as journalists: distorting international reporting? | Charlie Beckett – "The news media needs to learn how to use public participation without cheating, while the charities need to learn some media literacy and ethics. This should be more than a PR fight. All of us want the public to be better informed about humanitarian and development issues, but distorting the message for short-term gains will not serve the greater truth." [...]

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