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Ethics: Spirit of the Game

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Highway 101, May 25, 2008.

  1. imjustagirl

    imjustagirl Active Member

    At the time at which he did it? No. He's in the middle of a contest.

    Afterward? I would have asked an official about the rules, asked him and asked someone in his group. Yes.

    And you really can't be serious with your other examples. Both were written about.
     
  2. shotglass

    shotglass Guest

    No. No, no, no, no, no.

    You are NOT a participant in the situation. You are a fly on the wall. And you do NOT inject yourself into the situation.

    Actually, if you feel your observation is germane to the story you are reporting, then you report it -- in your story. You do not become a whistle-blower at the scene.

    That's about as clear as I can make it.
     
  3. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    Yes, we can agree you wouldn't interrupt somebody's round to ask them a question, just as you wouldn't ask Manu Ginobili if he flopped right after he did it.

    And I'm not suggesting both situations about the Broncos weren't written about. I'm asking if you think two different sets of ethics govern them?

    I think what I'm curious about is this: If you witness a breach in the rules, do you wait for someone else to bring it up afterward, or do you say, in effect, "I saw you cheat. Care to explain?"
     
  4. imjustagirl

    imjustagirl Active Member

    What do you mean by 'wait for someone else?' Am I going to punch people in the back of the head in a scrum to get to be the one to ask? No. I'm assuming, in any situation egregious enough to matter (not Ginobili flopping) it would be asked, either by me or someone else.

    I just don't really understand where you're coming from here.
     
  5. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    Fifth down game at Colorado/Missouri. You're right next to the linesman. You know fourth down but the down marker lists third. Do you say anything?

    Remember now: Because of it, Colorado wins a national championship.

    Or you're covering a boxing match. You watch a boxer smear a substance on his glove that you know will blind his opponent. You tell no one and let the opponent be blinded? And if the opponent is sent to the hospital as a result of the following knockout, do your ethics cradle the guilt?
     
  6. I agree with shotts and IMJAG.

    To play Devil's Advocate for Alma, let's try something other than sports.
    The city council moves to go into executive session to discuss and vote on a matter. City Council meetings aren't heavily attended, so it may be a reporter or two, the mayor and council.
    Do you object?
    Or do you shut up, leave the room as asked - despite the fact the meeting about to be conducted is in direct violation of the state's open meeting laws and therefore illegal.

    As I said, I agree that reporters are the equivalent of the Watcher, but my editor and some of my fellow newsreporters advocate and will raise objections when various bodies move to go into executive session.
    Are they right to do so?
     
  7. imjustagirl

    imjustagirl Active Member

    That I would feel less confident answering, only because I don't know all the ins and outs of how that works or how things are covered.

    Much like the USGA person couldn't tell us about journalistic ethics.
     
  8. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    Evil, I have always felt the job of a sports reporter and the job of a political or city reporter are different.

    The sports reporter reports the game and clarifies it for the reader. In no way do they make themselves part of the story while the game is played.

    A news reporter's job is to inform the public of government activity. It is also the watchdog of the government, so to blow the whistle during a meeting is perfectly fine. The public's civil rights are being violated when a government meeting is not run properly.

    No one's civil rights are violated if a guy practice puts.
     
  9. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    Well, now,let's be honest - can one journalist tell another journalist about ethics? There is no rule book, after all.

    Is Al-Jazeera ethical? Al-Jazeera thinks so. It sure as hell is powerful, I know that.

    But if the world golf tour makes a stop in Qatar, the locale doesn't mean you play by, uh, desert rules and improve your lie. That'd be cheating.
     
  10. imjustagirl

    imjustagirl Active Member

    I do think, Alma, there is an overlying ethical standard. Perhaps not a case-by-case ethics thing that you or I can preach about...but "don't become part of the story" is a pretty big umbrella I feel good about.
     
  11. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    What if a guy improves his lie?

    If sports is indeed that inconsequential - if so little is on the line that a person can cheat - why cover it?
     
  12. imjustagirl

    imjustagirl Active Member

    Alma, he can cheat. WE can report on the fact that he cheated.

    We just can't stop him from cheating.
     
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