Journalism - invasion of privacy

UK Phone-Hacking Scandal Shows Clash of Privacy with Need to Know

Owner of News of the World (NOTW), Rupert Murdoch has given British journalism something to talk about after certain actions the tabloid paper has taken. It became a “hackgate” that listened in on people’s conversations especially vulnerable groups like: child murder victims, families of terror attacks and parents of soldiers killed in action. They used a special 4-digit PIN to access celebrities, public figures, royalties, etc voice mail. NOTW eventually shut down due to its tasteless act of invading one’s privacy. 

Source: (hollywoodgossip.com)


click here to view video about the Rupert Murdoch scandal.
Source: A short video by ABC news (2011) provides us the details.

No doubt the public are entitled to certain information but the means of getting that information has to remain ethical. I think it is wrong for corporations to “listen in” to the conversation of others just to gain a competitive edge. They may justify that it is news that concerns the public but there are other ways of getting the same piece of news without interfering into the private lives of others.

For instance, in relation to photojournalism, Japanese photographer, Kohei Yoshiyuki captured a photo in the 1970s that invaded privacy on all levels. It was during a time were couples in Japan could not find more private locations to be intimate and would have intercourse in parks (Chapine, 2010). The picture is displayed below:

Source: (cheerfulblues.wordpress.com)

"The Park" by Kohei Yoshiyuki, 1971

In journalistic world, invasion of privacy is a detrimental act. Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics states that journalists must:

1) Seek truth and report it

2) Minimize harm

3) Act independently

4) Be accountable

Under these four points which explains about minimizing harm (being sensitive and eliminating discomfort) of the victims when gathering news (SPJ Code of Ethics, 1996). Sources, subjects, colleagues must be treated with respect and only an overriding public need can justify invasion of privacy.  

According to Ray (2006) tabloidization refers to a change done by the media about international issues of significance and presenting them as an entertainment and drama-like journalism. The hacking was done to dig up information from these vulnerable groups to have a major scoop over their competitors.

Commercialism is similar to tabloidization that it seeks to entertain readers, it deals with the capitalist system (Berry, 2008). Some others say it’s a played-down version of Marxism, particular free-market arrangements. Newspaper commercialism denotes ignoring news that may offend readers resulting in homogenization of content that only caters to public interest regardless of quality of content (McQuail, 2005).   

References:

1. Chapine, H, A Consideration of Photojournalism, Studies in Art and Politics <http://cheerfulblues.wordpress.com/2010/02/14/a-consideration-of-photojournalism/>.

2. SPJ Code of Ethics 1996, Society of Professional Journalists, viewed on 6 November 2011, <http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp>.

3. Ray, J 2006, Tabloidization of the Media: The Page Three Syndrome, viewed 4 November 2011, <http://presscouncil.nic.in/Decisions/Oct-Rew-1-239.pdf>.

4. Berry, D 2008, Journalism, Ethics and Society, Mixed Sources, England.

5. McQuail, D 2005, McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory, fifth edn, SAGE publications, London.


6. ABC News, 2008, Rupert Murdoch to shut down News of the World after UK Hack Scandal, video, YouTube, 8 July, viewed 9 November 2011, 
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXLnVKQ7jpc>.