Joe Gullo

I posted an article on how good social media is and how it has potential to revolutionize the journalist industry a couple weeks ago. Social media is here and is going to stay and will possibly evolve into something much bigger. Is there a downside to social media?

Online Impressions

I read an article on Poynter Online called Everyday Ethics. I encourage everyone to read it whether or not you’re a journalist or not. There is good points for everyone to read, especially those that are looking for a job. We have to remember that everything we do and post online can be read by anyone – including your employer. Our views and opinions on topics can be liked, commented and retweeted. Sometimes what we post becomes “viral” or spread quickly through the internet. What you post online can damage your reputation online and offline.

I think it’s important for people to realize that your impression online is important and can translate to how people view you in real life. I have seen profiles loaded with thousands of pictures, status updates and more. The problem is when majority of your profile is consumed with pictures and statuses of how drunk you will get or got the night before. What an employer think if they saw this?

Impact on Journalism

This could be devastating for journalists. Bias does not belong in our field. The article points out how just by favoriting, grouping, liking could show bias. Is social media the real problem for news bias? Everyone has an opinion about something – the question is should these views be made public? Is this really a concern for journalism?

I was taught that as a journalist you have to be independent from your sources. You should not accept bribes or payments from a source to cover a story. Does friending someone on Facebook, Myspace or any other social network demonstrate the same thing? Does friending someone equate to not being independent from a source? The answer to these questions are not clear and will vary from person to person.

The bigger issue…Balance!

I was also taught that the news piece needed to demonstrate balance. Unbalanced reporting can also show bias. So where is the balanced reporting? Social media can expose journalists as being a Democrat or Republican. It can show that we like ham sandwiches and that we just broke up with our boyfriend or girlfriend. This shows that we are human. Humans have opinions, we all have tastes. The key to journalism is to be unbiased in a sense that we tap into everyone’s tastes and not just our own. Balance is key. Input your taste into the story but counter it with the other tastes. The more tastes you put in the story, the better.

So what are your thoughts? Do you think that journalists should use discretion when posting online?