Ethical Blogging

Bittergate journalist Mayhill Fowler made big news last June, reporting the angry comments Bill Clinton made toward Vanity Fair editor Todd Purdham. There were just a couple problems: she did not identify herself as a reporter and the tirade came after she called the piece a "hatchet job." As an Off The Bus citizen journalist, was what she did ethical?

For citizen journalists, there is no code of ethics, so journalists must act as they see fit. If you're Matt Drudge, this means there is minimal fact-checking, honesty and balance. Not so much of a problem if you know Drudge leans right, but still it would be nice to know he is following some code he makes available to people reading his work (this goes for all bloggers who do original reporting).

The Society of Professional Journalists has its own code that news organizations and their reporters are supposed to follow. Everyone knows this does not always happen. So I'll take this from a different approach, assuming all reporting is biased in some way, if not in the content of the writing, then in the overall message of the organization. Good reporting, even if it has a point of view, is not propaganda, but represents many sides of the issue.

CyberJournalist.net offers its own blogging code of ethics based on the Society of Professional Journalists' code. It changes "Seek Truth and Report It" to "Be Honest and Fair" and leaves out the SPJ's "Act Independently."

While I like the code, I disagree somewhat with the code in that bloggers should seek the truth in every article analyzed and every piece of information received from readers. Being honest and fair is not quite enough. Truth should still play a large role in blogging, even advocacy blogging.

I especially like that the code drops "Act Independently" because of all the great reporting Off The Bus did. These "citizen journalists" were mostly Obama supporters and yet they held him accountable for his words and actions. I believe that truthful and meaningful reporting is possible even when a journalist is associated with an organization. How many journalists do not have a point of view on politics, abortion, war?

Some people seemed to miss the point, like this commenter:

Just another attemot to kill the concept of Blogging. Dont fuck around with individuality. If you are outta content or blogburnt take a break to avoid such worthless attempts at making Bloggers into a mindless herd of sheep.

What I write/rave/rant in my blog is my personal thot process and I'm no way gonna alter it cos some reader got offended and thinks differently.

A code of ethics does not attempt to control bloggers, but rather to ensure that their readers are receiving the information they think they are. What it really comes down to as a blogger is being honest and disclosing as much about your reporting as possible.

Maybe I should develop a code of ethics myself...