Role-Models

As the Comms 239 class continue to discuss ethics and a journalist's responsibility to conscience, I want to bring up the importance of industry role models. I've begun to identify both reporters, editors, and managers that I respect and want to emulate in my career. (I've also kept a few mental notes about those that I want to keep my distance from.) Good role-models help people rise to the best that they can be.

Here's a list of some people in the news industry that I admire:

• Historically: Edward R. Murrow of CBS News
• Historically: Walter Cronkite, also of CBS News
• Nationally: Nicholas Kristoff of the New York Times
• Locally: Elisabeth Neff of the Salt Lake Tribune
• Editing/ Management: Peter Bhatia, editor of The Oregonian (not just because I'm from Oregon)

I've learned about them and their work in different ways.  I studied Murrow and Cronkite for a couple research papers. Another student going into journalism mentioned Kristoff as one of her favorite reporters so I checked him out. I came across Neff through news-related Twitter feeds that I subscribe to. And Bhatia just keeps coming up in every journalism textbook I'm assigned (now that I've pointed it out, perhaps you'll notice, too.

Sure we know the bad examples of Stephen Glass and Jayson Blair, but it is just as helpful to look at the people who are tackling the news right.

As a side note, I here's a post Neff made on her +Google feed. It highlights a new issue in news publishing and a real journalists reaction to it. About two months ago there was a tragic police raid in which six officers were shot, one fatally. Neff's post is about a significant online effort to make the case defending the actions of the suspect, Matthew Stewart. 

New questions arise about how potential jurors may be influenced, as well as public opinion. I personally am okay with the defense making their side known. I think one of the bravest acts in John Adams' courageous life was his decision to be the defense attorney for the British troops involved in the Boston Massacre. We need to respect rule of law and give each defendant a fair shake. However, I do think that the ethical implications of the pro-Stewart online campaign should be examined.