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Question 1: What does the kangaroo logo represent?
Question 2: How is this site being funded?
Question 3: What is the rationale for this site?
Question 4: What is the purpose of this site?
Question 5: How can journalists participate?
Question 6: What reaction is expected from journalists?
Question 7: What are some journalistic behaviours of concern to the public?
Question 8: Is this website a reaction to the 2011, News of the World's hacking relevations?
Question 9: What motivated the construction of this website?
Question 10: What is the Australian Journalists Code of Ethics?
Question 1: What does the kangaroo logo represent?
A close look at the logo on the Home page will show that the kangaroo (which represents the Australian public) has its left arm around the journalist in a friendly gesture. However, the kangaroo is also wearing boxing gloves to symbolise that while wanting to be friendly and respectful, the public may need to act assertively, to ensure appropriate standards of journalistic behaviour are maintained.
The 'Boxing Kangaroo' is used with the permission of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC.) However the content of this website does not represent the views of the AOC in any way, shape or form.
Question 2: How is this site being funded?
The construction of this website was independently funded by the site's administrator. The site's objectives and content are not subject to any external influence.
Question 3: What is the rationale for this site?
Any profession which exercises significant power over others should be subject to a high degree of public scrutiny and accountability. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the journalistic profession as there is no opportunity for the public, to have a complaint published in the public domain about the way a journalist has, in the course of gathering or reporting news: tricked, trapped or generally mistreated them or someone they represent, misrepresented them through unfair, inaccurate, discriminatory, offensive or unbalanced reporting or had a detrimental effect on their life.
Question 4: What is the purpose of this site?
Without personally identifying any journalist, this website will allow Australians who have had an unsatisfactory encounter with a journalist to:
- publicly ‘blow off steam’
- expose what they perceive to be inappropriate and dubious media practices (including the ‘tricks and traps’ journalists use)
- warn other Australians about them.
As a result, it is hoped that:
- the person concerned will regain a sense of control and empowerment
- Australian journalists will more fully appreciate why they have a such a low level of public trust and what action is required to regain and then maintain an adequate level of public trust.
- the subsequent discussion will lead to a constructive debate about what is appropriate journalistic behaviour.
This website has as its foundation two core beliefs. First, that any person, with a clearly defined goal and a tenacious mind set, can bring about change for the better. Second, that journalists, as gatherers of the news, are the people in the best position to connect and engage with their audience, build trust and ensure the news is more professionally and ethically reported.
Question 5: How can journalists participate?
There some thousands of journalists/reporters across Australia covering a variety of different areas - government, politics, education, business, medicine, economics, justice, social issues, the arts and the environment and other important subjects.
Australian journalists are invited to contribute articles, respond contructively to complaints and answer questions from the public about their professional role.
If a higher level of trust is to be restored between journalists and their audience, then the public need to hear about all aspects of their professional lives so they can better understand why they do the things they do. Indeed, who better for journalists to interact with, than those members of the public who have a complaint about the way they have been treated by the profession.
Journalists can also submit cartoons about their profession, answer questions, comment on other submissions and make an anonymous complaint, about the behaviour of another journalist or employer/manager.
Question 6: What reaction is expected from journalists?
If journalists want to be highly regarded and fondly remembered by the public and their peers, then they must engage with their audience and not behave in an arrogant, rude and insensitive manner. Unfortunately, when critised for their behaviour, journalists all too often react in a defensive manner, blaming the victim and denying that any change in their behaviour is required.
Journalists are in a priviledged position and they have an important job to do but getting the job done and being genuine, respectful and at times, compassionate, are not incompatible. Hopefully, an objective examination and evaluation of the site will demonstrate that they have nothing to fear and everything to gain by interacting constructively with it. This site does not "name and shame."
Surely, a profession that spends their professional life asking probing and personal questions of others can ask some serious ones of themselves? Perhaps the first question should be "Why do the public distrust us so much?"
Question 7: What are some journalistic behaviours of concern to the public?
Journalists must understand that while their behaviour may not technically breach a code of ethics or a particular media outlet’s standard of conduct, people can still be upset and hurt by their actions.
There are two areas of concern: The way the journalist acts while gathering the news and the way the journalist ultimately presents the news. Although a journalist has personal control over the former they should still bear some responsibility for the latter, even where there is editorial oversight. The journalist's responsibility is even more clear when his/her name is directly associated with a particular story e.g. by the use of a by-line.
Areas of concern.
1) The way the journalist acts while gathering the news, e.g.
* pretending to be someone they aren’t, to get a story
* pretending to do a story about a particular topic or issue, knowing full well they are intending to write up a story on a different topic or issue
* invading the privacy of an individual and/or their family e.g. taking a photograph of someone in their home.
* taking advantage of vulnerable people and those unaware of what to expect from media practises.
* failing to inform an interviewee that their name and comments may end up on the internet for all to read.
* promising to contact a person and then not doing so, without an apology or explanation
* recording someone without permission or reasonable justification
* taking a picture of someone without their permission or reasonable justification
* refusing to allow an interviewee the opportunity to rephrase an answer or correct a statement
* interrupting people who are grieving
* ambushing a person, thrusting a microphone and camera in their face and asking probing and personal questions
* exposing and harassing people who have made ordinary human mistakes
* refusing to admit their own journalistic mistakes and in return, blaming the victim
2) The way in which the journalist presents the news, e.g.
* published quotes that are literally untrue or bear little relation to what was actually said by the source
* taking one quote among many and misusing it or quoting out of context
* sensationalising a trivial event
* distorting facts or deliberately lying, even if it embarrasses the source
* being incomplete or inaccurate in their coverage or just making up a story
* pursuing personal and political vendettas by stereotyping, labelling, humiliating or engaging in ridicule of people and/or ideas they don’t like.
* presenting a community or locality in a manner that inflames public opinion and damages community harmony
* cherry picking the results of a survey while ignoring important results
* avoiding censure by using publishing tricks, such as using quote marks around sensational comments to legally protect themselves
* leaving important and relevant information until the end of a story, so they can’t be criticised for not publishing that information
* refusing to accept the fact that a person's beliefs and attitudes may naturally change over time
* publishing digitally altering pictures without acknowledging the alterations
* refusing to correct or withdraw an online article when there is sufficient evidence to indicate that a significant error has been made.
Question 8: Is this website a knee-jerk reaction to the 2011, News of the World's hacking revelations?
The domain name <JournalistComplaints.com> was registered on the 8th July 2011, that is, two days before the ‘News of the World’ mobile phone-hacking scandal first broke in the Australian media. So, the answer is no. The registration of this domain name and the events in the UK are unrelated.
Question 9: What motivated the construction of this website?
The impetus to build this website can be traced back to some very stressful media experiences my wife, my family and I experienced some years ago.
In each instance, I believed that there was no justification for some of the media practices that occurred. I felt angry, frustrated, distressed and powerless against the media machine and the detrimental effect it was having on us all. Legal redress was possible, but it was always too risky, expensive, stressful and time consuming. In addition, I just didn’t have the energy to do anything other than to try and survive each media onslaught and manage each situation, as best as I could.
To this day I, and many others, remain guarded when interacting with journalists because of their potential to humiliate, hurt and embarrass, their ability to distort the meaning of our actions and statements and because there is little, if any, real public accountability for what they may do.
Nevertheless, I am also of the view that journalism is an important profession, worthy of the publics' respect and trust. This website is my attempt to bring about some reconciliation between these two views and I hope it will be seen in this light.
Question 10: What is the Australian Journalists Code of Ethics?
Of all the various codes of conduct and practice that apply to journalists, the most widely known is the Australian Journalists Code of Ethics. While this code only applies to journalist members of the MEAA and is open to interpretation, it is nevertheless widely regarded as the "corner stone" of ethical and professional journalistic behaviour. It states:
"Respect for truth and the public's right to information are fundamental principles of journalism. Journalists describe society to itself. They convey information, ideas and opinions, a privileged role. They search, disclose, record, question, entertain, suggest and remember. They inform citizens and animate democracy. They give a practical form to freedom of expression. Many journalists work in private enterprise, but all have these public responsibilities. They scrutinise power, but also exercise it, and should be accountable. Accountability engenders trust. Without trust, journalists do not fulfil their public responsibilities. Alliance members engaged in journalism commit themselves to:
Honesty
Fairness
Independence
Respect for the rights of others
1. Report and interpret honestly, striving for accuracy, fairness and disclosure of all essential facts. Do not suppress relevant available facts, or give distorting emphasis. Do your utmost to give a fair opportunity for reply.
2. Do not place unnecessary emphasis on personal characteristics, including race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, sexual orientation, family relationships, religious belief, or physical or intellectual disability.
3. Aim to attribute information to its source. Where a source seeks anonymity, do not agree without first considering the source’s motives and any alternative attributable source. Where confidences are accepted, respect them in all circumstances.
4. Do not allow personal interest, or any belief, commitment, payment, gift or benefit, to undermine your accuracy, fairness or independence.
5. Disclose conflicts of interest that affect, or could be seen to affect, the accuracy, fairness or independence of your journalism. Do not improperly use a journalistic position for personal gain.
6. Do not allow advertising or other commercial considerations to undermine accuracy, fairness or independence.
7. Do your utmost to ensure disclosure of any direct or indirect payment made for interviews, pictures, information or stories.
8. Use fair, responsible and honest means to obtain material. Identify yourself and your employer before obtaining any interview for publication or broadcast. Never exploit a person’s vulnerability or ignorance of media practice.
9. Present pictures and sound which are true and accurate. Any manipulation likely to mislead should be disclosed.
10. Do not plagiarise.
11. Respect private grief and personal privacy. Journalists have the right to resist compulsion to intrude.
12. Do your utmost to achieve fair correction of errors.
Guidance Clause
Basic values often need interpretation and sometimes come into conflict. Ethical journalism requires conscientious decision-making in context. Only substantial advancement of the public interest or risk of substantial harm to people allows any standard to be overridden."