Tag Archives: ethics

How Do You Define Good Journalism?

This is a big question–I realize that.  As, you could dedicate a whole blog to the topic. For the sake of this post, the key point I want to share is:

“The supreme test of good journalism is the measure of its public service.”

These are not my words, as they were actually written over 100 years ago. Walter Williams, the founder of the world’s first journalism school (Missouri’s School of Journalism), actually penned this statement as part of the larger Journalist’s Creed. It was relevant then, and it’s still relevant today.

In a world with media producing jokers (thanks Steve Radick for the tip on that one!), content thieves, and link lovers, it’s sometimes hard to gauge journalism’s credibility and relevance. But let’s not lose hope too quickly–instead, let’s promote good journalism. For example, I say “here, here” to Valerie Maltoni’s call to action–asking all of us to work harder and do better to link to and develop original content (I include myself here). Let’s devote our attention, eyes, and keyboards to those who are doing good journalism.

I know I take a more liberal definition of journalism. In fact, it’s because of the very words “public service” within the Journalist’s Creed that inspired me to study and do social marketing. For journalism, to me, in its truest sense, is a public service.

Thoughts–How do you define good journalism? and what other ways can we, as bloggers and citizens, reward and promote good journalism?

flickr credit: gadgetgirl

Expert versus Asset: Which One are You?

I’m going to warn you. Some people are going to view this article as radical. In recent weeks, there’s been lots of articles and conversations that denounce the expert, calling them carpetbaggers or government gadget gurus or what have you.

In my humble opinion, those that are experts are only referred to as “experts” by other people. This is one reason why they are experts….because they denounce their own “expert-ism.”

These are the people we love. The people that are life-long learners, not in a cliché way, but by role-modeling through action. They aren’t afraid to try new ideas or to spend extra time stretching an already vetoed idea. They experiment.  They are not in a leather chair with shiny Italian shoes, but they are in the jungle of the marketplace navigating knowledge, ideas and society for applications of thought. True experts, also fail at times. But they learn from it, tweak it and make it better.

Last week on Twitter, I had a thought and shared it: “Don’t be an expert. Instead, become an industry-valued asset. The difference? One works for himself and his own knowledge base, the other, wants to be valuable and enjoys collaborative efforts.

Now I don’t know about you, but I would much rather work with someone who wants to be valuable. These are the people that do any task just because it needs to get done, even if it’s not in their official job description. These are the people:

  • that will admit when they don’t know something. But come to your office the next day sharing what they learned from doing some extra research the night before.
  • that know that everyone can teach them something, from the doorman to the man with his name on the door.
  • that first listen and observe in the meeting, rather than interrupt and share their ideas first.
  • that ignore their job description and take initiative whether its making copies, to binding the reports to adding in two-cents on a proposal, to in effect, get the job done.
  • that puts themselves second and the client, task, job, person first. They avoid inter-office politics/chatter to make sure that the client doesn’t suffer.
  • that recognize that they don’t deserve anything, but they earn everything.

People who want to be valuable don’t wait for people to come to them; instead, they roll up their sleeves and say, I’m ready. What do we need? In fact, my family has the saying that if you even have to ask: How can I help? Then you aren’t helping, because helping=doing. Perhaps once we separate those who want to be experts and those who want to be assets, the value of that employee and the work given will shine.

Not to be on a soapbox (okay, maybe a ramp), but perhaps you are an expert. But are you sensitive to how your colleagues and those in your industry react to the word “expert.” Perhaps, we need a new word for you, or perhaps you can angle yourself to be an “industry valued-asset.” Call it a game of the tongue, but words have meaning, as does action. What are your words saying and your actions doing?

In your eyes, what are some ways you differentiate between an expert and an industry-valued asset? What are other ways people can make themselves “valuable” in your eyes?

photo credit: jeannie86

Crossing the line or a Creative Cross? MySpace Research with “Dr. Meg”

Have you heard of Dr. Meg? Maybe not, but if you’re a teen on MySpace you may have. Interesting research that was first published in the January issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine showed that adult supervision of MySape can raise adolescents’ awareness of how accessible their profiles are online.

To come to this conclusion, Dr. Megan Moreno, a pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and fellow researchers, embarked on two separate studies to explore this issue further. Both research studies are to 1) encourage increased parental and adult supervision by family and friends, and 2) to potentially encourage similiar outreach approaches.

Dilemma: To Cross or not to Cross the Ethical Line

The research is very interesting, however, I feel an ethical discussion must be had. I am not saying Moreno’s approach was wrong or right, but I think we should slow down and discuss it further to learn and develop best practices, as well as ethical guidelines, especially since others may adopt this practice towards younger youth.

Headlines have buzzed about “Busybody Dr. Meg,” concluding that this outreach and behavior-change may offer hope to future, similiar methods being implemented by others. To me, I feel there can be high-levels of concerns with a universal application of this approach unless the strategy and concept is stretched. Including, but not limited to – the age those being contacted, how people are being contacted, the language and type of approach involved, the privacy and the stalking-like component, among other items. Additionally, does it matter who, as in which type of organizations embark on this strategy? For example, I can foresee potential problems if adopted by government health agencies and citizens’ concerns over freedom of expression. Curious on others’ thoughts on this! 😉

Background About the Studies

Study 1. For the first, researchers located 190 MySpace public profiles in a single urban ZIP code, randomly selected from 10 U.S. Census areas with the lowest average income because researchers wanted to target adolescents who might have less access to doctors.

All the users involved revealed that they were 18 to 20 years old and their pages included three or more references to sex, drinking, drug use or smoking. Of the 190 profiles selected, half were sent “Dr. Meg” e-mails. After three months, 42% of those getting a “Dr. Meg” e-mail had either set their profiles to “private,” or they had removed both sexual or substance usage references. 29% of those not contacted made changes over the three-month period.

Study 2. In another study, Moreno and other researchers looked at 500 randomly selected MySpace profiles of 18-year-olds nationwide and found that more than half contained references to risky behavior such as sex, drinking and violence.

Your Turn: Crossing the line or a creative cross?

What do you think? I agree that there is a growing issue and concern for online safety and online identity of teens, youth, young adults and people in general, and this is an interesting new development to the field. How can you see this approach being adopted by your organization, or what would be your reaction if you were approached? Am I over-reacting?

photo credit: LoonSky

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Survey This: Bloggers and Advertising

In hopes to not influence responses, I will withhold my commentary on why I am inquiring about the topic: advertising on blogs. Instead, I will refer SB readers to the quick, 10-question survey I created, and look forward to sharing and discussing results. All responses are anonymous, unless designate your blog’s URL.

Survey Monkey

Click Here to Take Survey

Feel free to share, as the more people that share their experiences, the bigger picture we will receive. Feel free to share with friends and colleagues as I am depending on a snowball sample for this informal survey. Gratzi

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Food Marketing and Kids – Always A Popular Topic

The mix of food marketing and ethics when it comes to advertising to children tends to always be a popular topic on the social marketing list serv. And, the topic pops up every once and a while in the news too.

If you have been following this issue, and honestly, I have been following it some, but I don’t claim to be an expert on it. So, I’m curious to get others’ thoughts.

Food. Children. Marketing. Advertising. Social Marketing. Ethics. –> Please share your thoughts in the comments. I am providing some questions as prompts, and will post again a summary of the responses and what I discover.

Cases

Last spring and summer, there was much ado about Shrek and his character endorsing various unhealthy food products.

Again, there was a response when McDonald’s advertised by sponsoring report cards and giving achieving students special McDonald offers.

Articles

Fundamental Shift in Making and Marketing Snacks to Kids, MarketingProfs June 11, 200

Sweet Surrender, Washington Post, May 22, 2008

Junk Food Marketing Linked to Child Obesity, Lancaster Farming, May 23, 2008

Shrek: He’s Big, Green and Promoting Junk Food, MSNBC, April 25, 2007

Feel free to leave links to more articles/cases in the comments =) I know there’s a ton of news and literature out there.

Questions

  • Where has this issue been and where is it headed?
  • Has progress been made? What does ‘progress’ mean?
  • Is this an issue or is it over-reaction?
  • Are there boundaries when marketing food to children and what are those boundaries?
  • How is this sector of the industry changing?

Thanks ya’ll! Look forward to reading your insights!


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