During the open forum on Wednesday pertaining to the protests on DePauw’s campus, comments were made regarding students who stood around updating social media about what was going on rather than taking part in the protest. As an Editorial Board, we wanted to address the reason we, and several members of our staff, were standing by and witnessing the events instead of rallying with our peers.
We were and will be refraining from taking part in the social media blasts, joining in the protesters and in speaking up during campus forums because we believe that the best way that we can help and support our peers is by producing quality unbiased, journalism surrounding these events. In order to this we look to the four basic principles declared by the Society of Professional Journalists to be the foundation of ethical journalism.
The first is “Seek Truth and Report It.” This means that we do our best to be accurate and fair. It means that as much as we feel the frustration of our peers, we want to present what is happening on this campus without inserting our own bias. It means that if we grant anonymity to someone that we tell you exactly why we felt the need to do so. It means that we report the facts as they are in their context.
The second is “Minimize Harm.” In essence, this means that we treat our sources with the respect granted to them by virtue of being human. It means that we balance the benefits of pursuing a story with the possible harm. It means that we show compassion to those who are involved in difficult situations.
The third is “Act Independently.” This means that we avoid conflicts of interest. While this one is fairly simple, it is the most important aspect of a journalist’s credibility. Participating in what you are covering is a huge conflict of interest. It makes it harder for the reader to discern what is biased input, and what is cold, hard fact.
The fourth is “Be Accountable and Transparent.” This means that we will take responsibility for our work and explain our decisions to the public. It means that if we make mistakes in our reporting that we correct them. It means that we hold ourselves to the standards set forth by the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics.
The best way that we can help is to be good journalists and report objectively on events like this and work to extend the reach of our content beyond this campus. Outside news sources turn to us. We can help by holding the administration to the promises they made in the open forum. We can help by trying to find out why local police pinned down a black student and staff member. Most importantly, we can help by being a place for the members of our community to express their opinions and have their voices heard.