journalistic thoughts

Should the media employ Ombudsmen?

I have to give a hearty thumbs up to the employment of Ombudsmen. My decision comes from my belief that maintaining accountability is one of the most, if not the most, important thing than a journalist can do. If an Ombudsman can accurately and fairly address issues without allowing his paycheck to involve his decision making process, then I believe their presence is essential. They can bring back faith in the media by making it apparent that there is an outside source that is watching out for the interests of the readers, whose appreciation and satisfaction is, and should remain, the most important issue.

Should the media identify rape victims without their permission?

This was a tough decision for me but if I have to decide, I would have to side with allowing it. Fairness was a key deciding factor for me in that as long as the accused is named, the accuser should be as well. Spiteful men and women do exist who might accuse others of rape to tarnish their reputation or in hopes of receiving financial rewards. These people do exist and, given the possibility of their existence, it seems unfair not to mention them. Another key issue here was rape victims that were named and identified puts a human face on rape. The victim could be your best friend, your next door neighbor or your baby sitter. It happens everywhere to many different types of women. If they are identified, it might spurn other women to come forward because they could identify with those women. Rape is a serious problem that needs to be addressed and anything that facilitates this process should be acted on.

Can fair and balanced reporting be done by embedded journalists?

I have to say that, yes, they can or at least they should be able to. Journalists should stick to their credo of objectivity at all costs. It takes effort in these situations when journalists eat, sleep, and become friends with the platoon that they are embedded in, but any journalist worth his weight should be willing to take the necessary measures that will maintain professional distance. Additionally, embedded journalist will see both sides of the war firsthand as they will be up close to what is transpiring. They will witness both sides of the war and therefore be able to provide both sides of the story.