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  • Essay / Editing Ethics in News Storytelling - 1345

    A quote from my readings says: “Beneath the protections and privileges of a free press lies the responsibility to be fair. » Journalists make decisions when they write news. Every decision involves value judgments. Decisions have direct and indirect as well as deliberate and non-deliberate consequences. Additionally, journalists' decisions affect real human beings. These decisions can influence the attitudes of thousands of people on topics such as political issues. Just as producers and journalists must choose words and facts carefully, photojournalists and editors must demonstrate the same ethical professionalism and precision in editing images and audio. Editing in the field of news storytelling requires a certain level of professionalism, responsibility and a commitment to ethics. It's easy to view ethics as a "given" in any media profession, something that every experienced journalist knows how to do as second nature, even second nature. A quick glance at the latest journalism results demonstrates that this is not the case. Institutions such as the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, CBS News and NBC News have been victims of serious ethics scandals. Ethics is certainly not a “given,” regardless of the experience of the journalist or the establishment of the news organization. Furthermore, ethics is not a virtue, something we possess because we have a good heart and are sincere. Ethical behavior requires practice, hard work and vigilance. TV news jobs are harder to get and more demanding than ever on the people who get them, in today's fast-paced media environment. These anxieties can lead to disappointment and bitterness. Journalists evaluate their actions based on professional and personal standards. They want to make their news... middle of paper... wars or end them, awaken the heart or sadden the soul, give hope or demolish it. The power that journalists and editors hold is incredible, so much so that people are constantly trying to steal it from us or limit it. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was partly intended to protect Americans from such attacks, but it doesn't always deliver. It is therefore obligatory for journalists and editors to exercise this remarkable power with sympathy, responsibility, modesty, sense of ethics and respect for the person. Fewer viewers trust journalists and editors. Television news is one of the few professions available that allows journalists to have a big influence on people's lives, for better or worse, while having more fun than regulations allow. A journalist should have fun but never lose sight of the power in his hands.