Ethics and Credibility in Danish Journalism

Ethics and Credibility in Danish Journalism

Mark Blach-ØrstenRoskilde University


Why study ethics and credibility?• Because in the network society “only the

media,(…), are plausible rivals to the state”. (Couldry: 2003,672).

• In order to act in the role of ‘fourth estate’ the media need to maintain a high level of credibility amongst users, politicians and others.


Credibility in many shapes and forms, but often linked to questions of accuracy, fairness, ethics, and balance. “The sources survey method (…) remain the most accepted and trusted of all accuracy studies” (Silverman, 2007: 69).


A brief history of accuracy studies using the source survey method (Silverman, 2007):1936 – 46 % of local newspaper stories contained an error2005 – 61 % of all of all stories in the selected newspapers contained an error.1999 – 30 % error rate in television news2004 – 35 % error rate in television news


• Quality in journalism as a matter of ethics and credibility.

• Two analysis:- Journalistic credibility evaluated by journalistic sources- Journalistic ethics evaluated by journalists themselves.

Analysis of sources: Background information• Questionnaire-based survey of sources that have participated in news

articles and news reports in week 46, 2011 in national broadsheet newspaper + online newspapers (Berlingske, Jyllands-Posten and Politiken), local newspaper (Folketidende and Nordvestnyt) and national television (DR and TV 2).

• The questionnaire was distributed to 906 sources in the period 13th-21st February 2012.

• When the collection of responses was completed 13th March 2012 had 596 sources responded, of whom 95 per cent had answered all the questions in the questionnaire. Altogether it makes a response rate of 66 per cent.

• 547 sources confirmed that they had been interviewed by a journalist from the media, in which the article or feature was published in. It is the responses of these 547 sources, the analysis is based on.

• The 547 sources break down as follows: 57% from national newspapers, 19% from regional newspapers, 17% from national TV and 7% from the national newspaper’s online papers.

Sources about ethics and credibility in Danish journalism

Objective errors:• Only 13% of the sources

experiencing concrete and factual errors in articles and features (15.3% in 2006)

Subjective errors:• 79% do NOT feel that the journalist

has left out important information or quotes

Sources about ethics and credibility in Danish journalism

• 45% found errors in the article / feature when they had quotes for review

• 67% believe that news is often influenced by the media’s own opinion on the subject

Are there concrete factual errors in the article / feature?

N=

Objective errors:

Do not know

Yes, there are other types of factual errors

Yes, other personal information about me is wrong

Yes, the information about my title, my work or my age is wrong

Yes, my name is misspelled

No

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

2.8%

6.7%

0.9%

3.7%

2.8%

84.3%

Objective errors: Yes, there are concrete, factual errors in the

article / feature

11.3% 10.4%

23.1%

7.7%

Subjective errors: Has the reporter left out information or quotes in the article / feature, that in your opinion would have been important to get in?

Do not know

Yes

No

9.8%

11.6%

78.6%

Subjective errors: Yes, the reporter has left out important

information or quotes

9.5%14.4%

18.7%

2.6%

Check of the quotes: Were there errors or mistakes in the quotes

when you got them for review?36.3%

6.7%1.5%

43.0%

12.6%

Check of the quotes: Yes, there were errors or misunderstandings

in the quotes when I got them for review

Broad

shee

t new

spap

ers

Loca

l new

spap

ers

Public

Serv

ice te

levisi

on

Online

newsp

aper

48.2%

20.0%

44.4%

25.0%

Statements about the article / feature in its entirety: Fully or partially agree that the article / feature is influenced by the media’s own

opinions and views

Broad

shee

t new

spap

ers

Loca

l new

spap

ers

Public

Serv

ice te

levisi

on

Online

newsp

aper

19.4% 16.5%

25.6%18.4%

Statements about the article / feature in its entirety: Fully or partially agree that the article /

feature is good journalism69.1%

66.0%

62.2% 63.2%

General statements about Danish journalists and Danish media:

The news that the news media bring, are generally very reliable

Fully disagree

Partially disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

Partially agree

Fully agree Do not know

2.5%

18.7% 17.9%

50.2%

7.6%3.1%

General statements about Danish journalists and Danish media: News is often influenced by a particular political philosophy

Fully disagree

Partially disagree

neither agree nor disagree

Partially agree

Fully agree Do not know

4.2%

15.6%

23.3%

40.5%

10.9%

5.5%

Background information on the analysis about journalists and ethics:Which media are the respondent working for?Berlingske 17,0%

Jyllands-Posten 18,7%Politiken 15,7%Folketidende 3,0%Nordvestnyt 7,2%DR 17,0%TV 2 21,3%In total 305

Journalists about ethics and credibility in Danish journalism

• 83% do on a daily or weekly basis reflect on the ethics of their own work (82% in 2006)

• 61% discuss on a daily or weekly basis ethics with their colleagues (50% in 2006)

Journalists about ethics and credibility in Danish journalism

• 76% find on a daily or weekly basis examples of bad ethics in the Danish press (69% in 2006)

• 58% believe that the most common reason to compromise on ethics is a lack of time or competition with other media

Knowledge of media ethics:Are you familiar with the guiding rules for the ethics of journalism?

Broadsheet newspaper

sLocal

newspapersOnline

newspapers

Public service

television In totalYes 94,2 % 81,8 % 91,3 % 90,9 % 90,5 %

No 2,9 % 13,6 % 4,3 % 3,0 % 3,6 %

Do not know

2,9 % 4,5 % 4,3 % 6,1 % 5,9 %

Knowledge of media ethics:Are you familiar with your own media’s independent guidelines for journalistic ethics?

Broadsheet newspaper

sLocal

newspapers

Online newspaper

s

Public service

television In total● Yes 87,5 % 36,4 % 82,6 % 87,9 % 81,4 %● No 8,7 % 22,7 % 8,7 % 3,0 % 8,3 %● The media does not have independent guidelines

0,0 % 27,3 % 0,0 % 1,5 % 3,3 %

● Do not know 3,8 % 13,6 % 8,7 % 7,6 % 7,0 %

The extent of the problems with journalistic ethics:

Dagligt Ugentligt Månedligt Halvårligt Årligt Aldrig Ved ikke

24%

51%

18%

2% 0% 0%4%

25%

46%

24%

4%1% 0% 0%

I find examples of bad journalistic ethics in the Danish press

2012 2006

The extent of the problems with journalistic ethics: At my work, I find examples of bad journalistic ethics Broadsheet

newspapers

Local newspaper

s

Online newspaper

s

Public service

television In totalDaily 1,0% 0,0% 0,0% 1,5% 0,7%Weekly 15,4% 13,6% 8,7% 12,1% 12,5%Monthly 27,9% 31,8% 26,1% 37,9% 31,1%Semiannually 31,7% 22,7% 26,1% 28,8% 28,6%Annually 8,7% 13,6% 26,1% 16,7% 14,3%Never 5,8% 4,5% 4,3% 0,0% 3,9%Do not know 9,6% 13,6% 8,7% 3,0% 8,9%

Reflection and debate about journalistic ethics:


9%

45%

30%

8%

2% 3% 4%

We discuss journalistic ethics at ed-itorial meetings at my workplace

Reflection and debate about journalistic ethics:


3%

16%

29%

22%

13%10%

8%

3%

13%

29%

20%

11%

24%

0%

I discuss journalistic ethics with the management at my workplace

2012 2006

The reason for poor ethics: According to your opinion, what is the most

common reason that a journalist may have to compromise on journalistic ethics?

Competition among journalists inside the workplace

Do not know

Pressure from editorial director or other management

Other

Competition with other media

Lack of time to complete the work

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0%

4.3%

6.9%

14.3%

16.5%

25.1%

32.9%


• Few errors in articles / features and clear ethical awareness among journalists

• No 'decay' from 2006 to 2011• BUT…• Many sources find errors in the article / feature -

some errors get corrected• Much debate about ethics - but not with the

management• Pressure of time and competition are challenges

for ethics (and credibility)• News is (often) marked by the media’s own

opinion about the subject / the media political standpoint.

Documents

Ethics and Credibility in Danish Journalism