Media Ethics

In class the other day we had a discussion on the media and respect to the individual’s right to privacy. It came about after examining some of the media coverage of George Best’s funeral. The Best family had requested that the family be left alone by the media so they could grieve in private. There was a picture of George Best father standing at the door of his home, presumable looking with distaste at the packs of journalist that had gathered there.

There was a divide in the class. Some would knock on the door saying that it if it wasn’t them it would be someone else. Others wouldn’t as they felt it was disrespectful to the Best family. I was torn. I could see so both sides.

It reminded me of a situation that happened about four years ago. I was walking up O’Connell St with a friend who was studying an MA in Journalism at the time. I had just qualified as a Nurse. We came across a girl who was unconscious and not breathing. She was blue in colour. We quickly became involved in trying to help her. My friend called the ambulance while I commenced CPR. The unconscious girl had overdosed on heroin. Five minutes later the ambulance arrived. By this stage a large crowed had gathered around.

My journalist friend had his camera and wanted to take photos of the ambulance men putting the girl on the stretcher with a view to writing a story. I was disgusted at him. As a nurse you are thought to protect the patient and respect their privacy. I argued with him, that this girl may die or be left brain damaged and all he could think about is writing a story. He put the camera down and wrote no story,

Now I am studying journalism and can reflect on this experience with a different view. Instead of thinking that he’s insensitive and disrespectful, I admire his nose and readiness for a story. Whether or not I could ever become the person that takes the picture is questionable. I suspect I’ve been a nurse too long and would find it difficult to separate my emotion from the drive to be a news journalist.