COMPUTER 10: Lesson 7 - File Storage and Online Collaboration
Desperation vs. Innovation
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Notas do Editor
All sources and organizations anonymous.“large” = 200,000+ circulation“online only” includes one traditional-turned-online and one online start-up.Victor & Cullen categories were used to guide the interview through the major ethical climate elements.
Reporters commented that the standards for “what news is” have changed to drive up Web hits.
Many reporters complained of situations where a co-worker was fired under circumstances that they found to be confusing because the ethical codes were unclear.
Although they adhere to many of the same ethical policies, reporters and editors in traditional and online newsrooms imagine that their counterparts are acting differently. Online reporters view traditional reporters’ ethical practices as being outdated and archaic. Traditional reporters view online reporters as being unethical and less committed to rules and accuracy.
Traditional reporters don’t like the breaking down of the metaphorical brick wall, but they are so concerned with keeping their jobs that they keep quiet about their anxiety. Online reporters are more excited about being involved in the business process of newspapers. They like having a stake in the business, whereas traditional reporters want to focus solely on the product.
Traditional reporters are concerned about the speed of online and the limited editing prior to publication.Online staffers feel that small mistakes are easily corrected online. They also feel that they have more responsibility for the accuracy of their work because there is less editing. They argue that burden of responsibility makes them more careful with their content.
Traditional reporters are still concerned primarily with filling the page every day whereas online producers feel like their work will be part of an archived legacy that is accessible forever. Some online-only reporters get paid a commission when people view their stories because their content drives up advertising page views.
The bottom line is that traditional reporters view their reactions to the changes in ethical climate situations as acts of desperation, whereas online staffers believe they are part of a new wave of journalism innovation.Traditional reporters view their adherence to ethics changes as sacrifices. Online staffers view the changes as mere modifications to traditional ethical practices.One common theme appeared to be that ethical policies are rarely communicated clearly in both types of organizations. This lack of clarity could lead to trouble, especially at online organizations that don’t have a written policy. The study is limited in that it is exploratory. A small sample was used, and further quantifiable work is needed to detect organizational trends and differences. The researcher is working to better define the organizational categories in order to properly examine the differences between the newsroom types.