Chapter 3: Reporters and Sources The cases in this chapter examine the ethics of the relationship between a reporter and his sources. In what way should unnamed news souces be properly used? What kinds of procedures should organizations use to insure unnamed sources are used properly? Should anonymous sources be used in reporting at all?

Chapter 3 Cases Case 11: Covering the Middle East Case 12: Stolen Voice Mail Case 13: Embedded Reporters Case 14: Risky Foods

Case 11: Covering the Middle East Facts – Empirical Definition Values Principles Loyalties

Images of the violence and grief that effect both sides in the Middle East. How could reporters best apply Aristotle’s mean to reporting fairly on the Middle East? How would this view effect the specific issues? What should reporters do in order to gain a better understanding of the “underlying historical and political background”?

Case 11: Additional links Defining News in the Middle EastDefining News in the Middle East - A discussion of how news from the Middle East is reporting. The Arab-Israeli ConflictThe Arab-Israeli Conflict - A brief history of the conflict. The Road Map to PeaceThe Road Map to Peace - An assessment of the Road Map. The Mideast: A century of conflictThe Mideast: A century of conflict - An NPR broadcast on the conflict. Questions of Balance in the Middle EastQuestions of Balance in the Middle East - A discussion about balance in reporting on the Middle East.

Case 12: Stolen Voice Mail Facts – Empirical Definition Values Principles Loyalties

Pictures of the Chiquita article from the Enquirer, George Ventura, and the Chiquita logo. Should reporters be able to reveal their sources in a court of law? What are the implications of a reporter becoming emotionally involved in a story? Could the Chiquita story have been just as effective without the information taken from the stolen voice mail?

Case 12: Additional links Chiquita Secrets RevealedChiquita Secrets Revealed - The entire Enquirer story about Chiquita. An Apology to ChiquitaAn Apology to Chiquita - The Enquirer’s apology to Chiquita. George and His JungleGeorge and His Jungle - The story of George Ventura’s role in the Chiquita story. Banana PeelBanana Peel - The Columbia Journalism Review’s take on the scandal and Mike Gallagher’s role. How Far Is Too Far?How Far Is Too Far? - Examines how far investigative journalist should go using the Chiquita case as an example. The Chiquita AftermathThe Chiquita Aftermath - The American Journalism Review’s assessment of Gallagher and the situation surrounding him.

Case 13: Embedded Reporters Facts – Empirical Definition Values Principles Loyalties

Images of the Iraq war and embedded reporters. Can reporters be expected to deliver an objective story while under the stress of war? Can embedded reporters give a broad enough view of the situation? What is the effect of the limited scope of embedded reporter’s stories?

Case 13: Additional links Inside ViewInside View - An inside look at the embed system. The Media and the War on IraqThe Media and the War on Iraq - In depth coverage of the media and the war. BBC ReportBBC Report - A BBC report on embedded journalists. Defining News in the Middle EastDefining News in the Middle East - An assessment of embeds and their effectiveness. Re-thinking ObjectivityRe-thinking Objectivity - A discussion of embeds and objectivity. War StoriesWar Stories - A PBS video analysis of the embed system.

Case 14: Risky Foods Facts – Empirical Definition Values Principles Loyalties

There are many safety issues with food that the media likes to latch onto. One example of going to far, though, was the “Alar Scare.” Is it the media’s job to do risk reporting? Should the press be the guarantor of public health, or dows this job belong to the government and consumers? Is it right for the media to “stage” high risk stories? Do they report on these stories to warn of a real risk, or for entertainment value?

Case 14: Additional links An Unhappy AnniversaryAn Unhappy Anniversary – Looking back at the Alar scare. Myth of the Alar ScareMyth of the Alar Scare - Another look at the stir Alar caused. The Media, Risk Assessment, and NumbersThe Media, Risk Assessment, and Numbers - A look at how the media reports risk. Hype in Health ReportingHype in Health Reporting - An article about how the media influences the public’s thinking about health. Health in the NewsHealth in the News - A look at how influential health related news stories can be. The Plot Against AlarThe Plot Against Alar - An interview with a reporter who wrote a special story on the Alar myth.