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... that his newspaper is opinionated and holds a personal view. Which immediately throws out journalistic ethics as it is not an objective reading but more opinionated. Thus it is very crucial to understand, that Mindich infuses opinion with journalism rather than being objective like a daily paper.
In the Wars broadcast of The Connection, Steven begins to voice his opinion about the need for people to be reminded about the war. He strives, with his right to freedom of speech, to get people disturbed and aware about what kind of threat terrorism is. This immediately shows how journalism is not always a social and moral responsibility because it can be one-sided and biased. On the other hand, Marvin Kalb calls for a need of social and moral responsibility for journalists because Americans depend and rely on journalism. Backed by the Journalism Code of ethics in order to prove his point, Marvin Kalb simply stands behind his right to the first amendment.
These two directly oppose each other especially when Marvin states that shocking and horrifying are not the best way to achieve impact on the American public. Managing the outrage is more important than managing the hazard is part of the responsibility for these journalists. So rather Kalb refers to Mindich's method as specifically being propaganda in everyway. But on the other hand, Steven directly disagrees to this classification as he believes that this is News and so being that people need to be constantly reminded of the seriousness and horrors of terrorism. There is no doubt that these two oppose each other but there is doubt from the American people. Some feel that people in general ought to be more aware of terrorism because September 11 th has become such an abstract.
While others take Marvin's side and see this as spreading terrorists propaganda. Never the less understanding the role of the Boston Phoenix in media and Kalb's stress of social and moral responsibility of journalists, according to the ethics of journalism, is most important. Eventually a conclusion about this form of media, the broadcast of pearls death on the Internet, cannot be judged because of the oblivious paradox in American ethics. The role of the Boston Phoenix as a weekly alternative newspaper has always been opinionated. As far back to the roots of journalism and some of the earliest Public Relations, in fact it was Poison Ivy Lee who first made it aware that facts are open to interpretation and at the same time peoples opinion are based on own self interest.
Boston Phoenix is known to be an alternative newspaper that clutches a belief in accordance with the first amendment and that honesty and directness is the best form of journalism. Publisher of the Boston Phoenix, Steven Mindich an Israeli born American had personal ties to this case and began to show evidence of his own self interest during the broadcast. Mindich is often accused of selling manufactured news as a commodity making it difficult to abide by the journalistic code of ethics. The values have changed in such a way that journalism must be differentiated from Public Relations in todays modern world. In todays world Mindich stresses the importance of graphic pictures being much more effective than words. Mindich is guilty of spreading propaganda as he does admit to it himself but however he supports the public right to know the evil that happened to Pearl and the Evil that the United States is up against.
In fact he promotes the viewing of this video despite international leaders who have not given it any attention. This is where crossing the boundary of journalism can be the price to pay for supporting a belief. The Code of Ethics stresses on minimizing harm when truth is delivered yet at the same time the first line of the Code of Ethics reads public enlightenment as the forerunner of justice. The inevitable paradox is buried deep into the Code of Ethics also as I referred to before, thus making it hard to depict if the Boston Phoenix has violated this code.
There is no doubt of signs of yellow journalism and proving that in contemporary America anything sells. The paradox continues to unveil itself, when the government tries to impose a sort of censorship on its media watchdog. When the link to the video was first offered on Phoenix. com the FBI had made a call to Steven Mindich demanding the link to be taken off. The FBI had no case up against the first amendment. People overlooked the harm this video would bring to the country as a whole and outweighed it with the importance of understanding the enemy.
But in fact the only face the public can identify with is Pearl as one of their own. Looking for a face to put on the war, this video is not it. It violates the consent of the widow family and their wishes, which is protected by the Code of Ethics but is overlooked because of deep personal and political implications. Although the showing of this video displays sound journalism it still was irresponsible as Marvin put it. He was arguing the fact that the general public does not have the background information to make judgments about this video, which is why it is irresponsible for the Boston Phoenix to provide a link. Kalb makes an argument that these are extreme militants who have decapitated Pearl and furthermore would be a political judgment that should be made by the government and not shaped by the media.
The paradox lies in the Code of Ethics in contrast to the ethical values of America. Bad taste and judgment was used as Kalb stated about Boston Phoenix decision in providing a link to this video. Is it possible to act independently and at the same time minimize harm. How can it be possible that the media shapes the news when people are encouraged to draw their own conclusions? The paradox lies within itself. As many people falsely believe patriotism can be the justification for anything.
I believe that Steven Mindich did violate the Code of Ethics in many more ways than one but I also believe he has a right to free speech. My reasons are simple. Although this conflict is inevitable, it is evident to find a paradox in media and especially the Government. But the issue at hand is not the FBI calling to refuse Mindich's first amendment right the issue at hand is the journalists judgment and intent that needs to be checked in as a coat on the way in. Otherwise the public finds itself bombarded with a sort of saturated advertising; call it propaganda, which is almost impossible to escape. Personally, I felt the video had a great impact on my thoughts about Individuality.
I am not American and I felt that my individuality was threatened. Watching these militants, men without faces, ready to cause insecurity over the world had me thinking twice. Although I condemn this act or any other act of terrorism, the irony of both sides fighting a Holy War makes me hate war altogether. How is this paradox going to be solved? This individualistic ideology is laid down on a glamorous silver platter as obvious as the one with John the Baptists head on it. This is the biblical illusion that came to my mind when watching the Daniel Pearl video.
The United States needs to keep its ideologies in media and society within its borders and allies but at the same time keep as the Worlds Policeman to watch over the other nations as one, under God. To avoid the paradox would be to extreme because then the American culture will begin to loose its values. For example the on going debate of removing In God We Trust imprint off the United States currency. Where must a line be drawn? It has been drawn, and one side is Good and the other Evil.
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