July 22, 2014

The Media

The publisher of our local paper is moving on to a new community and in his good-by editorial he says, “Lastly, there’s always a place for an organization like a newspaper, to help lead a community and make sure those who are in leadership positions are doing what we expect of them” (Montrose Daily Press, 7-20-2014). Interestingly, the Society of Professional Journalist sees things a little differently in their four point code of ethics:
·       Seek truth and report it honestly, fairly and courageously.
·       Minimize harm by treating sources, subjects, and colleagues as human beings, deserving of respect.
·       Act independently (free of obligation to any interest group other than the public rights to know).
·       Be accountable (abide by high standards; correct mistakes promptly).
Sadly we believers do the same thing when we put our own spin on God’s code of ethics.  Our personal interpretation of God’s Word should never change His clearly stated intent.

1 comment:

Steve Corey said...

Gail;

-----After the 1929 stock market crash, accountants became certified. You had to have a license to practice accounting. Kind of. A person could start an accounting business and keep books and do income taxes and even issue financial statements without certification. In fact, a high school graduate with no college education could do everything a CPA could do, except call himself a CPA.
-----But things don’t work as they seem. It seems a pretty slack consumer protection which allows an unlicensed person to do everything a licensed person can do except present himself to the public as a licensed person. So when much of what caused the 1929 crash was discovered to be puffed up financial reports, why was the response to create a licensing system that only assures someone won’t call himself licensed, but can do everything else anyway? Financial reports are news reports. The same freedom of speech applies to a company’s financial reports that applies to journalists. The freedom to report can not be taken away.
-----But, the destruction caused to society by lying to the mass audience about important matters had to be corralled. Therefore, one hand of legislation required the license preventing just anyone from billing themselves as licensed, and the other hand legislated situations requiring financial reports to be audited by independent certified accountants. Mission accomplished. Kind of.
-----That corralled, but did not kill, the Minatare of public manipulation in the financial world. They’re still poking at the old beast with ever more and more regulation partly because the Minatare of public manipulation in the news world yet runs wildly free through ever more confusing maze this world is becoming. Societies can issue professional standards all they want. But they are toothless lions without some serious governmental corrals constructed.
-----I am not the type who admires regulative activity. But nothing is totally bad. Regulation has a small place, and regulation in its place is good. By the very fact that journalists have not been fenced into at least a healthy respect for the truth, mainstream deceit has manipulated the masses into clamoring for freedom destroying regulations everywhere regulation should not be and nowhere it should be. We thought the 1929 stock market crash was bad, just wait till the coming tribulation moral crash hits. I assure you, this simple, journalistic freedom from the truth is one ingredient in the witch’s brewing up those hellacious seven years.

Love you all,
Steve Corey