THE JAMAICAN media are more vibrant than its United States counterpart, which is suffering declining ethical standards, according to visiting American journalism professor.
Professor Tom Bivins, a specialist in media ethics at Oregon University, spoke to The Gleaner following a panel discussion with Jamaican journalists at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston yesterday.
"I think the media here is far more vibrant than a lot of U.S. media. I can read Sunday newspapers here whereas in the U.S., it's rare to find any place that has more than one newspaper," said Professor Bivins.
COMPROMISE INTEGRITY
Large media corporations owning multiple news outlets, says Professor Bivins, have compromised the integrity of U.S. journalism.
"How independent can you be at ABC News when you know you are owned by the Disney Corporation?" he asked.
The U.S. media, he believes, "lost its edge" during the invasion of Iraq but improved recently with coverage of Hurricane Katrina and the failing of the U.S. administration.
"They are dealing with American lives, within America and they have absolute access to the story and are questioning the Government ... It's almost an overnight change."
ELITE SOURCES
The Jamaican media, he believes, can learn from the American experience.
"The reliance on elite sources has ruined journalism in the States. The Washington press corps relies on leaks and innuendo from the administration and don't bother to go out there and get the full story.
"It is much easier to get the news from the press conference ... there is a lot of laziness taking hold of modern journalism," he added.
Political bias was another factor journalists should be wary of warned Professor Bivins, citing the "alarming" bias of the openly Conservative Fox Network.
Journalists, he said, have a responsibility to keep their opinions personal and report objectively on the news to serve their public.
