Publishing news that offends...
Someone in class said that as a police member, "you have a duty to do (in regards to enforcing our country's laws)". As a journalist, don't you also have a duty to report what's happening?
Some people may be offended by certain news, however. A small scale article on sex in an elevator in a college newspaper wouldn't be dropping the jaws of readers. In fact, the story might pique the interest of the majority of that paper's regular audience. However, if the offense taken to a certain news story would cause riots, then I would take a moment to consider withholding news that would cause harm from the attention.
Perhaps I speak this after what happened in Kashmir, in particular, after the sensationalization of a pastor's declaration of Koran burning. Now we know that this guy's actions were denounced, as the Globe pointed out in a follow up article. However, the shootings and violence done in Kashmir has already happened.
These cases do not happen all the time, but they do happen; the world is increasingly gaining access to news all across the globe. This means that as an editor I would want to be cautious about the message I am sending out to the public eyes. On another note, I wonder if editors and publishers in Europe would have as much discomfort in having these names publicly announced?
Stories and articles as linked:
From BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11280132
From Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/09/09/fla_pastor_set_on_holding_sept_11_koran_burn/ and http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/09/15/lessons_of_the_korans_non_burning/
Some people may be offended by certain news, however. A small scale article on sex in an elevator in a college newspaper wouldn't be dropping the jaws of readers. In fact, the story might pique the interest of the majority of that paper's regular audience. However, if the offense taken to a certain news story would cause riots, then I would take a moment to consider withholding news that would cause harm from the attention.
Perhaps I speak this after what happened in Kashmir, in particular, after the sensationalization of a pastor's declaration of Koran burning. Now we know that this guy's actions were denounced, as the Globe pointed out in a follow up article. However, the shootings and violence done in Kashmir has already happened.
These cases do not happen all the time, but they do happen; the world is increasingly gaining access to news all across the globe. This means that as an editor I would want to be cautious about the message I am sending out to the public eyes. On another note, I wonder if editors and publishers in Europe would have as much discomfort in having these names publicly announced?
Stories and articles as linked:
From BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11280132
From Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/09/09/fla_pastor_set_on_holding_sept_11_koran_burn/ and http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/09/15/lessons_of_the_korans_non_burning/