WK 5: Public Interest Journalism

Could the death of the newspaper industry spell the end of healthy democracies? Image

The public interest has been described as: ‘in having a safe, healthy and fully-functioning society’ (Ethical Journalism Network, n.d.), in which the interests of public services and their provision to the public are of importance (Ethical Journalism Network, n.d.). It is providing the information in order for members of society to take part in the democratic process (Ethical Journalism Network, n.d.). A privacy test can aid the justification for seeking information into someone’s private affairs. Journalists must consider whether it is in the ‘public interest’ for potential information to be attained and later publicised. An impact test weighs this consideration against the potential benefits to wider society if it is publicised (Ethical Journalism Netowork, n.d.).

The Ethical Journalism Network (n.d.) casts the suggestion that: 

‘publications should seek to correct significant wrongs, should promote the well-being, welfare and safety of the public, should raise public awareness of important issues and should make a contribution towards promoting good conduct in public life’. 

Given only state-funded media organisations are obligated to adhere to a specific charter, this statement invokes thoughts about commercial media organisations and their ethical stance in today’s age. They may do many things which promote good conduct in public life, but they also do things which many would consider unethical or pushing ethical boundaries. Does their good work for the community therefore let them off the hook for their actions we often question or condemn? A lot of those ethically-questionable actions are often the types of topics that sell best, boosting their commercially driven agendas. So why wouldn’t they push the boundaries?

Margret Simons (2017) highlights the importance of public interest journalism to local communities and suggests that, while the recent announcement of $60 million in federal government funding ‘for journalism start-ups, regionals and independents’ is a step in the right direction, but little more than a Band-Aid without a clear media policy and strategic plan for further measures to turn the ‘crisis’ of public interest journalism around (Simons, 2017).

A quote from Margret Simons article in The Guardian.  

References
Ethical Journalism Network. (n.d.). Is it in the Public’s Interest? Retrieved from http://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/the-public-interest

Simons, M. (2017, September 15). The new media ownership law doesn't address the real crisis journalism is facing. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/15/the-new-media-ownership-law-doesnt-address-the-real-crisis-journalism-is-facing

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