Who is a journalist?

By Liam Mitchell

Is Moe Sihota a journalist? Photo courtesy of the New VI
IN AN AGE where anyone can perform the function of a journalist, who gets to
call himself or herself a journalist?

Does Ken Hectman, the so-called Montreal "computer geek" who decided to
become a war correspondent? Many, including a lot of journalists, said no.
Among the hue and cry was an attempt to determine who gets to be called a
journalist.

On the e-mail listserv of the Canadian Association of Journalists a variety
of responses were offered. A journalist, a few argued, is someone trained at
a journalism school. Some on the listserv felt that the term journalist
should be reserved for those who work at large mainstream newspapers and
television stations. Both of these responses are insufficient. One limits
broad knowledge and experiences, while the other is an elitist position that
ignores the abilities and contributions of freelance journalists and
reporters within the alternative media.

But why do we even care who gets called a journalist?

First, there are very real constraints that exist. There is only so much
space in a briefing room, only so many people who can ask questions, and
there are only so many people to interview. Hence, we need to establish some
limits.

Plus, with the development of the Internet, nearly anyone can disseminate
information to an audience. That information ranges from objective — or as
close to it as possible — to the extremely partisan, including
misinformation. I think that the application of the term journalist can be
used as a mark of quality assurance. A journalist, I believe, is not a
person who does a certain job, but rather a person who does a job a certain
way. It’s about process.

The key to that process is ethics. A code of ethics provides a framework in
which this process can be conducted. It ensures that the way in which the
story is obtained and transmitted is done in a proper manner. It also
expresses society’s expectations, both for how stories should be collected,
but also it establishes a mandate for our work. A code of ethics can empower
journalists.

Having said this, let me note that this is not a popular idea with
professional journalists. Many see codes of ethics as limitations on their
independence. The framework, some argue, constrains their ability to get the
story. They are concerned about who develops these codes and how they will
be applied.

There are legitimate concerns, but we can’t use them to avoid this
discussion. Journalists need to start talking about developing their own
codes of ethics. This can’t be done in a bubble. It is important to consult
widely with the public at large to determine what their expectations are.
But journalists need to have ownership over this process. The reasons are
two-fold. First, if journalists don’t feel a sense of ownership, they will
be disinclined to pay the code any heed. Second, it helps to ensure that a
code doesn’t compromise independence.


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The decision by Victoria-based The New VI to hire someone as partisan as
Sihota brought a lot of chuckles, both from the public and journalists.
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In Canada we can find an important example with the Radio-Television News
Directors Association of Canada. It has a code of ethics that contains 14
articles, which discuss matters of authenticating sources, fairness,
respecting privacy and protecting journalists’ independence. It’s preamble
states: "Free speech and an informed public are vital to a democratic
society. The members of RTNDA Canada recognize the responsibility of
broadcast journalists to promote and to protect the freedom to report
independently about matters of public interest and to present a wide range
of expressions, opinions and ideas."

Members of RTNDA Canada promise to adhere to the code and face expulsion if
they don’t. This is as an important model that I think journalists should
follow -- a code of ethics developed by journalists and enforced by
journalists.

As I said, these codes of ethics help to establish the framework through
which the practice of journalism occurs. It doesn’t define the profession or
spell out the process that must be followed, but it establishes the
boundaries of journalism and focuses us on its core values.

In the case of Ken Hechtman, I would have no problem with him being called a
journalist despite no training or experience before arriving in Afghanistan
so long as he did his work consistent with the ethical standards of his
newfound vocation.

The same is true of Moe Sihota, that infamous B.C. politician turned news
anchor.

The decision by Victoria-based The New VI to hire someone as partisan as
Sihota brought a lot of chuckles, both from the public and journalists.

The new B.C. Liberal government in Victoria under Gordon Campbell
capitalized on this sentiment by banning Moe from government press
conferences. They also refused to speak to him and declined any interview
that involved him. Things finally came to a head when Sihota was refused
entry to the government lock-up on Black Thursday, when it was announced
that a third of the province’s workforce was being eliminated.

At this point the legislative press gallery felt the need to speak up.
Reporters sent a letter to the premier calling on him to permit Sihota
access in the future. The press gallery refused to make any claim that he
was a journalist. Instead, it said that he was a member of a media outlet
and for that reason was deserving of the government’s attention.


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Simply being employed by a media organization does not make one a
journalist.
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But simply being employed by a media organization does not make one a
journalist, nor does it mean that they are capable of reporting on events.
If The New VI sent one of its security guards to cover Black Thursday, does
that mean the guard should get to join the scrum simply because he is a
representative of a media outlet?

I believe that journalists in Victoria should view Sihota as a colleague.
They should expect him to follow an ethical framework for reporting. If he
sticks to it, then he is doing the same job in the same way as any other
journalist. Until he violates this code, I think that Sihota has to be given
the benefit of the doubt.

The challenge is establishing a generally accepted code of ethics for Sihota
to follow. To get that code, it will take a lot of journalists prodding
their colleagues to draft one and agree to follow it. But it is also a
conversation that needs to happen within the wider community. The public —
the consumers of journalism — have to make it clear to journalists, editors
and news directors what their expectations are for ethical reporting.


Liam Mitchell also believes that ethics should determine who can be called a
lunch lady.




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