Journalism & Society: Watchdog Journalism?

Monday, March 30, 2009

Watchdog Journalism?

A REPORTER FROM THE Pioneer-Local in Illinois videotaped a rival reporter falling asleep during a community meeting. Then he posted the video on YouTube (above).

Was it wrong for him to post?

14 comments:

Michael Gaudini said...: I'm a bit torn on this issue. I mean, people post these kinds of videos on Youtube all the time, so its nothing new really (as long as its not presented as news). Journalists are real people too, so if this event is divorced from his Journalistic duties, then I don't see an issue in him uploading a Youtube video. Well, I guess the real issue is -- is it or is it not divorced from his Journalistic duties? I'm not quite sure. I don't think the video is news, so does that mean it is a part of his personal life, rather than his occupational life? Or, since this occurred at an event he was documenting for his job, does that make it part of his occupational life, and thus his Journalistic duties should directly apply to this video? Or should his Journalistic duties apply to everything in his entire life and what he uploads to Youtube? Hm. At the same time, however, when the sleeping Journalist leaves and writes an article on what he "observed", wouldn't the article be a bit incomplete. How would he get all the information he has in his article, if he's fighting off sleep at the same time? How accurate could the article be? Don't people have a right to know the context of what they are reading? Or is this the sleeping Journalist's own personal business? I guess I just generated a bunch of questions that I really can't answer at the moment.

-Michael Gaudini; March 30, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Geo said...: You sure solved that one for us, Michael.

- George
(the joking teacher); March 30, 2009 at 1:12 PM
Anonymous said...: Its not wrong. He wrote that he only filmed it because he thought it was funny, which it is.
The situation could be avoided if the reporter was more professional and didn't sleep, and there was no real harm done.; March 30, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Axel Howey said...: I recently read an article like this in Wired Magazine, where a boy's father wanted to raise litigation because another boy's father posted a video on Youtube of his son being beaten by the other boy. He was angry because he thought the video "embarassed his son". I'm pretty sure the answer here is simple.

If you don't want to be caught doing something stupid, don't do it. Websites like Failblog post videos every day of people doing dumb things, and none of them complain. Just because your rival caught you with your hand in the cookie jar doesn't make it wrong; it makes you a chump for getting caught.; March 30, 2009 at 5:47 PM
Benjamin Toledano said...: if it was done because he thought it was funny i have no problem with it. and if he did to get a competitive edge over his competition then i still dont have a problem with it. in my opinion this isnt a journalist rreporting a story, this is a person just posting a video on youtube.; March 31, 2009 at 12:55 AM
Andrea Symonds said...: Technology has allowed things like this to happen all too often...
He shouldn't have been sleeping, but it shouldn't have been posted.; March 31, 2009 at 8:23 PM
Anonymous said...: I think that since it was them on the job he should not have posted it, also because they are 'rivals'. It is unprofessional, however if they were off the job, and friends, i think that it would have been ok...still mean though.

Jenny A; March 31, 2009 at 10:30 PM
FollowtheWhiteRabbit said...: It was perfectly fine for him to post this. Although it is a rival reporter,the video does not explicitly say the name of this rival and it seems rather harmless. Its just mild humor. Who wouldn't fall asleep during a community meeting? They should of offered refreshments or some red bull at least....hellooooo. I think it's pretty hilarious.
-Jessica Lopez; April 1, 2009 at 2:07 AM
Amanda DiStefano said...: This makes me think of what other reports fall asleep, and then try to interpret a story...

Reader beware anyone?

Amanda DiStefano
(current JnS Student); April 1, 2009 at 9:57 PM
Anonymous said...: This is hilarious. The music effects are outstanding. But I don't think it was wrong for him to post it. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there. And you know what they always say.... "Ya Snooze, Ya Lose!"
Maria Santilli; April 2, 2009 at 11:39 AM
Anonymous said...: As already pointed out, if you don't want to be plastered on the internet doing something stupid, don't do it. Plain and simple. As for the issue at hand- the reporter who took this video and posted it was definitely acting unprofessional. It's funny to chuckle when you someone falling asleep in, lets say, a lecture; but you chuckle to yourself (and maybe to a neighbor). Who knows what could be going on in that person's life that may be causing them to fall asleep- maybe they are suffering from health problems, or has a family member in the hospital... or maybe he was just up all night partying. But who are we to judge? To each his own, and if this sleepy journalist is content with falling asleep on the job, no matter what the reason, so be it. I'm sure he will get whats coming to him either way.

-Angelina Thoman; April 3, 2009 at 3:45 PM
Katie Killian said...: I say if you have some competition, anything you can do to get on top, you should do. And this video happens to be funny.; April 6, 2009 at 8:47 PM
Stephanie Klock said...: Well, the rival journalist who was video-taping was also not paying attention so I guess no one is aware what happened during the community meeting.

Lazy journalists!; April 12, 2009 at 6:24 PM
Brittney Corridean said...: It's hard to say, it is his rival and this does make him look unprofessional but I think everyone has had one of those days where your own head feels like a subway train. But the guy exaggerated on the nodding which was his own dumb fault, he should have put his head back like we do it miller's class!... JK!!; April 16, 2009 at 12:32 PM