Ethical Question: Should journalists show solidarity or show restraint?

What I mean is that most daily newspapers probably have at least one reporter who's publicly shown solidarity with the current civil rights moment, either by way of tweeting #BlackLivesMatter or participating in the Instagram blackout or even sharing a personal anecdote about racism. Now, how many of those reporters were told to stop or tone it down? My guess is very few.

 

I don't do politics on social media at all. I've got a blue checked twitter account tied to my job, and just choose to totally avoid politics on FB and Instagram.

Having said that... I don't believe that affirming the basic human dignity and rights of black people is political.

I don't go in for the "why do you refuse to wear the ribbon?" performative social media "activism" like the blackout, but I sure as hell wouldn't hesitate out of fear that I might offend some racist.

 

Given the number of people of color sports journalists in particular interact with, I think it's an especially thin tightrope to walk.

On the one hand, it should be a no-brainer. Equality and civil rights shouldn't need to be debated.

Yet somehow, here we are, where voicing an objection to black people dying at the hands of police officers is deemed a political statement.

And that's the other side of the coin, voicing an opinion about a perceived political issue while working as a journalist. Personally, I think editors and corporations are getting too restrictive. No reporter should endorse a candidate. No reporter should impugn a candidate they dislike.

But if a politician does something heinous, or if someone's civil rights are being violated, or if the first amendment is under attack, journalists should be allowed to comment, even if it involves their beat. Yet the social media policies in many companies frown on that, leaving many of us caught in-between.

 

That's a very perceptive point. Do that and the newspaper building will likely be set on fire if anybody hears about it. Still ... cmon just because this is civil rights doesn't mean you give up the J card. Journalism means not taking sides of ANY KIND. Of course TV journalism? I don't watch much and tonight I was just amazed at Cuomo telling everybody the way it is and how they should think about all the riots, etc. I am shocked at how news anchors (and this was a "breaking news" show on riots) just tell millions of people how they ought to be feeling about all this. Yes he was making so many excuses for the looters, suggesting they are good people. Cmon. throw a brick through a window and steal TVs ... you are not a good person.

 

It’s one thing to take a stance / support via social media.

But as I was watching some of these reporters and camera crews out in the field and suddenly seeing some of the crowd turn on them - holy shit, I’d be okay with whatever the hell they say for their own safety to either simmer things down or extricate themselves. Scary.

 

I think a journalist can and should promote fairness and disinterest. I think telling these communities we'll go where the story takes us, whatever the risk, is advocacy of good journalism.

But too often that isn't true. We don't routinely tell these stories. Especially when the racism is institutional. "Systemic," as is now the fashion. Nor, as Alma points out, do we routinely tell the story of poor white folks very well. Which is one of the reasons we wind up with a society teetering ever on the brink of violence.

And the performative bullshit, as PCLL says, is just that, bullshit.

But the violence being directed at the press is unacceptable - especially when it's being done by the cops. That's a bad old habit of the establishment, all the way back to Haymarket and beyond, stoked lately and directly and avidly by this particular president, and we need to call it - and him - out for it.

Violence directed at the press by agitators left or right is likewise an old refrain. Fear of being identified. That's why they wear masks. Also not acceptable.

Journalists are citizens, and need to engage their country and their culture as such. But they need to see all of it fairly first, and without blinders.

 

I work for an Southern-based national trade magazine for a trade mostly filled with conservatives, and with mostly conservative co-workers. And I have a young daughter and a new house we can only afford because of my salary and only barely at that.

I’m going to be keeping my mouth shut on social media with regard to anything remotely political. I’ll show my support here, a place I’m vaguely anonymous, especially to newcomers, and a place those coworkers and readers don’t know exists anyway, in conversation and debate with friends and family, and, in the only significant way, at the ballot box.

 

Whether or not I think you should, a lot of journalists can probably get away with it. Speaking out against abortion? No. You’d most likely get fired for stumping for that unless you worked at a handful of news organizations. A writer at The Athletic, clearly, can express some poitical opinions, but not others. The same, for many years, was obviously true at ESPN as well.

 

Cmon, these are newspaper suits we are talking about. If a reporter tweets something and it is deemed improper by the social media mob, that reporter will be fired so quickly. Suits won't stand up for reporters who tweet opinions on this. For instance ... a simple tweet expressing concern for the cities getting ravaged by arson and looting could be construed as racist. Just a simple tweet: "My heart bleeds for my hometown, New York City and my favorite stores of my youth, Macy's, mom and pop pizza." You could be deemed racist as many think the rioting is an expression that is warranted." Result? You are fired for tweeting that.
Stay away from political tweeting. The suits will not back you if you are in a pickle.

 

You are smart. Drew Brees is getting evicerated. It was way too early to go there when asked about kneeling during games next season, way too early Brees. If you read his long quote you could say in no way was it racist. But in standing up for the flag and the military, Brees did not mention the Floyd situation at all. If you are gonna go there regarding the kneeling topic, you damn better well FIRST express horror at Floyd's death, disgust at the killer cop(s) and express hope for the future that we can right these wrongs. Otherwise, you are in trouble! I bet Brees gets fined or released.

 

Whoa. 700!?!