Poynter. Journalism in a 24/7 World: Decision-making for the Online Editor: Knight Digital Media Center October 1, 2007 Bill Mitchell

Journalism in a 24/7 World: Decision-making for the Online Editor: Knight Digital Media Center

October 1, 2007Bill Mitchell

www.poynter.org/bill

Poynter.

Decision-making on Deadline: Decision-making on Deadline: From Good, Bad & Ugly to From Good, Bad & Ugly to

Better, Faster, EasierBetter, Faster, Easier

Poynter. Journalism in a 24/7 World: Decision-making for the Online Editor

Bill Mitchell Oct. 1, 2007

Journalism Ethics: The BasicsJournalism Ethics: The Basics

• Almost all acts of publishing hold consequences for stakeholders beyond the publisher

• Ethical decision-making in brief: Clarifying the principles you stand for Identifying the stakeholders Considering at least three alternatives Understanding potential consequences to

stakeholders Choosing one of the alternatives Explaining and justifying your decision



A focus for online decision-A focus for online decision-making:making:

Maximizing clicks, minimizing harm

Journalism in a 24/7 World: Decision-making for the Online Editor: Knight Digital Media Center

October 1, 2007Bill Mitchell

www.poynter.org/bill

Poynter.

In other words, In other words, to paraphrase Heather…to paraphrase Heather…

They’ll click on it, but will They’ll click on it, but will they respect you in the they respect you in the

morning? morning?



Goals for the session:Goals for the session:

• Outline a decision-making strategy for verification

• Outline a decision-making strategy for conversation

• Leave the session as a more effective leader of each



Strategy as Opposed to RulesStrategy as Opposed to Rules

• Green light as opposed to red light ethics• More about adding content than pruning

it• Without enterprising strategies, we’re

doomed to playing catch-up, scrambling reactively…



SpecificsSpecifics

• Background on related issues• Why focus on verification and conversation?• Key elements in making decisions on

deadline• Break into six groups (20 min)

three groups develop strategy for verification three groups develop strategy for conversation

• Discussion of what we’ve come up with (20 min)



Quick BackgroundQuick Background

• August 2006 Poynter Conference: End of the Ad Hoc Era for Journalists on Deadline

• May 2007 Poynter Online Series:Dialog or Diatribe?

• September 2007 Poynter Conference:Focus on Dialog



Critical Areas/Tensions Critical Areas/Tensions Assertions

Web Reporting, Commentary, Voice & Tone

The Role of Journalism in the Digital Age

Credibility & Accuracy, Transparency & Multimedia

Workplace Issues: Speed, Thoroughness & Capacity

User-Generated Content

Linking

Wiki for All of the Above



Ten Critical Areas/TensionsTen Critical Areas/Tensions

1. Revenue and Content2. Community Generated Content3. Reporter as Commentator4. Credibility, Accuracy5. Speed vs. Thoroughness6. Transparency7. Multimedia and Manipulation8. Voice, Tone and Attitude9. Workflow and Staffing Challenges10. Journalism’s Role: Watchdog vs. Corporate11. What else?



Why verification?Why verification?

• It’s something people (and society) need• It’s something news organizations can do

well• It’s an area of growth as opposed to

decline



About VerificationAbout Verification

“There can be no liberty for a community which lacks the information by which to detect lies.”

-- Walter Lippman, Liberty and the News, 1920

Great resource on the discipline of verification:The Elements of Journalism, by Bill Kovach and

Tom Rosenstiel



Consumer need for verificationConsumer need for verification



Verification NeededVerification Needed



In Search of VerificationIn Search of Verification



Verification (without Verification (without conversation)conversation)



Verification ChallengesVerification Challenges

• More reporting from unverified sources, e.g. user-submitted video, audio, images, claims

• Difficulty of detecting manipulation and deception, especially in multimedia content from uncertain sources

• Privacy, other issues linked to content posted to MySpace, Facebook, similar sites

• Others challenges?



Verification ResourcesVerification Resources

• Conversations in advance: (what to do about comments on MySpace, etc.)

• Technical tools in place: In Photoshop, see “File Info” to check date, camera, etc.

• Colleagues on call: Someone capable of zooming in and checking for similar pixel patterns, etc.

• What else?



Why conversation?Why conversation?

• It’s something people and society need• It’s NOT something news orgs do well• It’s an area of growth as opposed to

decline



About ConversationAbout Conversation

A dialogue is any conversation animated by a search for understanding rather than for agreements or solutions. It is not debate, and it is not mediation.

-- Public Conversations Project



Orange County RegisterOrange County Register



What to use: police video, tough What to use: police video, tough comments?comments?





Tallahassee DemocratTallahassee Democrat



Conversation in search of Conversation in search of verificationverification



Conversation challengesConversation challenges

• Balancing competing principles, e.g. unfettered vs. civil discussion

• Messy pursuit of facts• Differing standards among users,

publishers• Organizations’ lack of experience, training

in leading conversations• What else?



Conversation Tips/ResourcesConversation Tips/Resources

• Enlist (and train) colleagues to help lead the conversation

• Enlist (and train) users to help lead the conversation

• Bozo Filters• Incorporate the conversation into the story form• Pose specific, open-ended questions in the story• Replace one-to-one (e-mail addresses of staff at

bottom of story) with many-to-many (comments)



Conversation Tips, ResourcesConversation Tips, Resources

• Encourage fact-based conversation (enable links in feedback areas)

• Create personal profile pages for users and staff that include links to earlier comments, articles

• Enabling users to vote comments off the island

• Decide what you regard as Preferred Permitted Prohibited



Dimensions of a Decision-making Dimensions of a Decision-making StrategyStrategy

• Guiding Principles• A Process that Gets You to a Good

Decision • Resources, esp. Those Getting You to the

Facts



Examples of Guiding PrinciplesExamples of Guiding Principles(handouts)(handouts)

• Seek Truth and Report it as Fully as Possible

• Act Independently• Minimize Harm• Display Transparency• Demonstrate Accountability• What else?



A Process: ASNE/Poynter Ethics A Process: ASNE/Poynter Ethics ToolTool



A Process: Poynter/ASNE Ethics A Process: Poynter/ASNE Ethics ToolTool

(handouts)(handouts)1. Define the goal2. Gather facts3. Know your purpose4. Consider principles5. Name the main ones6. ID stakeholders7. Generate options (at least three)8. Evaluate options9. Make a choice10. Test your thinking and explain your choice in

writing



A process: Steele’s Ten QuestionsA process: Steele’s Ten Questions(handouts)(handouts)

1. What do I know? What do I need to know?2. What is my journalistic purpose?3. What are my ethical concerns?4. What policies/guidelines to consider?5. How can I include others in decision-making?6. Who are the stakeholders? Their motivations?7. What if I were in shoes of various stakeholders?8. Possible consequences of our decisions?9. Alternatives in maximizing truth & minimizing

harm?10. How can I justify decision to stakeholders,

public, colleagues?



The Disciplines of Verification and The Disciplines of Verification and Conversation Conversation

(discussion in groups – 20 minutes)(discussion in groups – 20 minutes)

1. In light of our discussion, how might you revise the principles & guidelines you rely on now?

2. How might you engage colleagues and audience in improving your organization’s decision-making process in these areas?

3. Groups A,B, C: Verification: 20 minutes4. Group D, E, F: Conversation: 20 minutes



Assignment for Each Group --Assignment for Each Group --Groups A,B and C: VerificationGroups A,B and C: VerificationGroups D,E and F: ConversationGroups D,E and F: Conversation

1. Guiding principles for decision-making about verification/conversation

2. A process for decision-making about verification/conversation

3. Resources/tools to help make better decisions in these areas

Documents

Poynter. Journalism in a 24/7 World: Decision-making for the Online Editor: Knight Digital Media Center October 1, 2007 Bill Mitchell