Traditional vs. New Journalism

I've just finished reading the first few chapters of Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakendridge's book Putting the Public Back in Public Relations.

The fourth chapter and its overall theme really stuck out to me. It discusses the recent shift from newspapers and magazines to online media (mentioning the extreme decrease in newspaper sales in the past few years). It then goes on to acknowledge the current quandary and discussion surrounding the topic of traditional versus new journalism. Are those who blog considered journalists, or do they fall into a separate category?

As the book mentions, journalists who graduated even ten years ago, all had the same messages, lessons and information crammed into their brains during their college careers: Tell the truth; Always fact-check; Grammar and spelling are of utter importance; Keep promises with sources; Get at least two independent sources to back up information; and so on. The key message here stresses the integrity and honesty of journalists through their relationships with their sources, audiences, editors, plus their precise and accurate storytelling.

Looking back to my Media Writing I class, I feel like I was I was taught these things, with the course focusing on the use of the AP Stylebook, as well as the accuracy and conciseness of my stories.

However, I feel like my peers and I are in a transition stage, between this 'traditional' perspective and a new up-and-coming view that's emerged from the advent of new technology and online opportunity.

The ethics involving online blogging are straying away from traditional journalism, and in all reality, how could we truly expect them to adhere to something so incredibly different? Like Solis and Breakenridge mention, blogging has become more about discussions—with tools like commenting and the ability to go into a post at any moment and make immediate changes—as opposed to a simple one-way street of providing information, like with newspaper writing. Now others are having a say in bloggers' stories, being able to leave feedback, contribute information and correct mistakes if they're there.

While no formal code of ethics is in place for these 'citizen journalists,' I think it's truly important to maintain the same core values writing for your blog as you would writing a newspaper article.

In the long run, I believe it'll be your loss if you become too carefree in your facts and don't take the time to check accuracy and spelling. Audiences are smart. They'll catch on. Readers won't continue to read blogs muddled with inaccurate information, dishonesty and garbled punctuation and spelling making them difficult to read.

I guess we'll see what the future holds.

Shutterfly purchases smaller online picture service

I just read a blog by Erick Schonfeld on techcrunch.com called Shutterfly Buys Tiny Pictures For A Tiny Price.

Shutterfly purchased Tiny Pictures Friday, Sept. 11, for only $1.3 million in cash and then $1.3 million in stocks to employees.

Tiny Pictures used and offered Radar, a phone picture sharing service, where pictures could be shared through your phone among you, your friends and family immediately after being taken. Then, anyone in your circle of "Radar users," would be free to view and comment on the pictures you took.  

The application sounds pretty cool to me, but apparently Tiny Pictures was never able to expand from its core group of users to a widespread audience.  Maybe that has to do with the fact that you're only able to share pictures with people you know, and if you don't know anyone else with Radar, there isn't much reason for you to buy or use it.

I'm very surprised Tiny Pictures sold for such a low price.  These days, especially when businesses are concerned, $2.6 million isn't very much money.

Ethics in public relations

Today in strategic communications research we discussed ethics in public relations and how it applies specifically to the topic of research.
Confidentiality/anonymity
This sticks out in my mind as the main theme throughout. Confidentiality and anonymity so important to people who decide to participate in a survey, focus group or any other kind of research project. Employees don't want to worry about losing their jobs or being treated unfairly by their bosses after news about what they say leaks out. Even for those people who would answer very positively about their workplace and employer, they too could be privileged in a way that wouldn't be fair to others. Without considering the topic of crimes or illegal/harmful acts, the promise of confidentiality is such a vital thing to always follow through with. However, when someone admits to doing something against the law, your own personal ethics and guidelines should kick in.
Compliance
Participants must knowingly agree to be a part of the research experiment or survey that is being conducted. Ethically, people can't be used without knowing it. If someone doesn't comply to take part, they cannot be forced to do so.
Withdrawal
Along with the idea of compliance, participants must understand if they do agree to be a part of the experiment, they can withdraw at any time. I feel we, as humans, have a right to decide, whether halfway into an experiment or not, if we want to continue through to the end. We deserve a right to withdraw without punishment. Any rewards that were promised in the beginning must still be given (maybe in a reduced form) to those who withdraw.
True understanding
Participants must really understand what it is they're getting themselves into. Ethical guidelines are broken when words are twisted to convey one thing and the participants show up only to realize they have to do something completely different than what they thought.
No harm
Research must not harm participants in any way, whether it be physically, mentally or emotionally. If research does cause harm to a participant, everything must be done to fix whatever was "broken."
Labeling
Never refer to participants as "subjects" or "victims." Use "people" or "participants."
Proprietary info
Although you may conduct the research and follow through with confidentiality/anonymity, any information you collect is proprietary and belongs to the company for which you work.