Be a journalist despite internet freedom
As journalists, we cannot overlook the ethics of our profession regardless of the numerous freedoms the internet presents. The principles that guide the profession must be applied irrespective- we must be able to stand out.
As online journalists, we should apply the principle of objectivity as it is a core value. As much as possible, regardless of the platform, we should present all sides of the story we work on and prevent our opinion from interfering with the facts. If by all means and in any case, an opinion is needed, it must be treated as such and made known as an opinion as seen in Article 11 of the Ghana Journalist Association code of ethic which states “While free to take positions on any journalists should draw a clear line between comment, conjecture and fact.”
Also as online journalists, we must not forget the essence of rejoinders. According to The Legal dictionary, "a rejoinder is the answer made by a defendant in the second stage of Common-Law Pleading that rebuts or denies the assertions made in the plaintiff's replication" (http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/rejoinder). Applying this in journalism means to give anybody, be it an organisation or an individual the opportunity to redeem themselves when an allegation is made against them- especially one that border on their reputation or brand. For us in Ghana, the GJA in Article 10 of its regulations/ code of ethics states that “A fair opportunity should be given to individuals and organisations. Any report or a write-up affecting the reputation of an individual or an organisation without a chance to reply is unfair and must be avoided by journalists. If an article dents the reputation of an individual or an organisation, they should be allowed to respond to the allegations- it shouldn’t be the case that the journalist does not present the opportunity at all. In the same way and manner an article is published, so must a rejoinder to that article.
The principles of photojournalism should not be disregarded by online journalists regardless of the freedom the internet has presented to us, its users. At least one of the principles, Categorical imperative, the principle that advocates equality for all; utilitarianism, the principle of considering the majority; hedonism, the principle of pleasing one’s self; golden mean, the principle of finding a middle ground instead of a nothing or all; and veil of ignorance must be considered. Considering these will set an online journalist aside from the rest of the internet users who very often than not post too graphic images.
When news breaks out, as online journalists, we must not hurriedly publish anything without checking the facts. Doing so puts the journalist in the same category as an ordinary user of the internet such that there shall be no difference between the two. We must as much as possible, verify information irrespective of our thirst to break the news or become the people’s favourite. Really, if the news breaks and is later said to be untrue, it damages the reputation of the journalist and defeats the purpose of becoming anyone’s favourite.
Concluding, as online journalists, we must set ourselves aside from other users of the internet with our deeds. The principles of the profession and the individual objectives of the journalist must drive their actions on the internet in that they do not become ordinary users of the internet amidst its freedoms. Really, there will be no point calling one’s self an online journalist if our actions cannot differentiate us from the rest.
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