katarzynaradzka

One of the newspapers I read more regularly is The Courier Mail (QLD, Australia) and The Australian. It’s the best way for me to keep in touch and abreast of what’s going on at home as I’m 25,000km away for an indefinite amount of time.

Today, I read an article in both of these papers about a tragic incident due to the irresponsibility of a radio station. The radio station 2Day FM has a Lie Detector segment that requires listeners to call in and sit a lie detector test. Sounds like fun, something like the new television program ‘Moment of Truth’ which in all honesty is rather silly and whoever is going on it is only asking for trouble.

A14-year old girl revealed she had been raped when she was 12. This is a tragic story that should not have been broadcast on the radio, and before any lie detector test was taken, the broadcasters and organisers should have found out more about what was going to be revealed on the live breakfast show. For a journalist it was rather irresponsible.

A journalist has the responsibility and obligation to be ethical, moral and have good judgement. It can’t always be about the story, people need to matter too. The newspapers have claimed that it was done to create a shock factor. I’m sure that it was. What was even worse however, is that the mother pushed the daughter knowing very well what her response was going to be.

„Her mother asked her daughter: “Have you ever had sex?” The 14-year-old replied: “I’ve already told you the story about this … and don’t look at me and smile because its not funny.” „ - The Australian 29.7.09 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25853031-7582,00.html

The radio host didn’t respond well, ‘Right …. is that the only experience you’ve had?’

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25852706-953,00.html

Not exactly the most appropriate thing to say especially since the girl seemed frightened and concerned about the outcome. But more importantly what was the mother thinking of bringing her there in the first place?

If you’re a journalist, whether for radio, television, newspaper, magazine or blog it’s important to look beyond the story and ask yourself whether you are doing the right thing. We read many stories where certain elements could have been avoided but the shock value made the story more popular. Popular stake might improve over the short time but how is it going to effect you over the long term. Do you want to be a journalist who shocks or one who is respected?

Yes we live in a world where freedom of speech is available. But freedom of speech also needs to have its limits. It’s always best to think before you speak, and think before you write. Nothing you write or say, irrespective of the payment, will be worth it if it hurts another human being.

Writers have power in spreading information, news and stories from their own lives, their communities and from around the world. We’re all very well aware that sex sells, violence sells, shock sells, tragedy sells. Yes, it does. But what does this say about us? Over the past few decades the news have gotten more shocking, we have become desensitised and it’s become more and more difficult for the media or a story to really shock us.

How do you think the media has changed over the past thirty years in what and how they broadcast or present the news?

Should journalists think about any possible repercussions before printing, or even writing a story or is it their job to print everything regardless of the consequences?