Laws, Ethics, and News Literacy
Laws and News Literacy:
Adhering to journalistic laws is of utmost importance at Nordic News. As a new nord, the first thing we learn is to follow the ethical and legal guidelines that govern our work. Our advisor, Mrs. Little, provides thorough training on the most significant laws and regulations, such as the New Voices Act, State Shield Laws, the "Buckley Amendment," and Copyright. To ensure that all our reporters are well-informed and equipped to follow these rules, we have also compiled a comprehensive handbook that serves as a quick reference guide. We encourage all team members to refer to the handbook whenever they need to refresh their knowledge on these crucial laws. By prioritizing journalistic integrity and accountability, we strive to maintain our reputation as a trusted source of news and information for our readers.
In fact, our dedication to journalistic integrity was tested when an incident with the communications department occurred last year. Despite the potential risks, the past editors published an editorial about the issue, taking care to ensure that our reporting was factual and our opinions were clearly labeled.
While we were complimented for taking a stand, it had the unintended consequence of making many staff members hesitant to be interviewed and damaging our relationship with the district. This created an inability to get their perspective on key issues that we reported on, which limited our ability to provide a balanced and accurate coverage.
As co-editor-in-chief this year, my fellow editor and I took the initiative to meet with the new communications director to discuss the freedom of expression policy. We emphasized the importance of updating the policy to reflect the New Voices law and clearly stating that staff members have the right to talk to reporters about issues of public concern. We explained that prohibiting staff from talking to reporters can lead to coverups and a lack of transparency that can allow corruption to thrive.
Fortunately, our efforts were met with enthusiastic agreement and we were able to build a better relationship with the district and continue to work to reimplement significant changes to district policy. We are once again able to ask for comments from the leaders of our district, and are often given leads that we are able to report on. This has allowed us to provide a more comprehensive and balanced coverage of issues affecting our school community.
Nordic News holds itself to the highest standard when it comes to journalistic ethics and the law. We understand the importance of staying within the bounds of legal and ethical guidelines to maintain our credibility and uphold the values of our publication. As a student journalists, I strive to provide accurate and reliable information to my readers, and recognize that this responsibility comes with a duty to follow the laws and regulations that govern this profession. This staff's commitment to upholding these standards has led us to confront difficult challenges, but we have emerged stronger and more dedicated to our mission than ever before. I hope we will continue to prioritize the pursuit of truth and the protection of free expression, and will remain steadfast in our belief that journalism is a vital tool for fostering understanding, driving change, and building a more just and equitable society.
Ethics:
To ensure our commitment to ethical journalism, Nordic News upholds the highest standards of accuracy, fairness, and thoroughness. We believe that accurate and honest reporting is the foundation of good journalism, and we work tirelessly to ensure that our reporting is factually correct and balanced.
As an example of our commitment to ethical journalism, I can point to our center spread on teen domestic violence that we published earlier this year. The topic is often stigmatized and underreported, but my co-writers and I felt that it was important to shed light on this issue and to give a voice to those affected by it. Through careful research and reporting, we were able to tell the stories of those impacted by teen domestic violence in a way that was not only accurate and compassionate, but safe for the victims interviewed.
In addition to this, we also strive to ensure that our reporting is fair and unbiased. We take great care to include diverse perspectives and voices in our reporting, and we are always conscious of the potential for our own biases to influence our reporting. We also take great care to ensure that our reporting is thorough, and that we cover all angles of a story in order to provide our readers with the most complete picture possible.