Warning For the Media...

From the Pope.

In a story heard on NPR, Pope Francis warns against the infatuation with scandal, citing 'Coprophilia.' Coprophilia is an abnormal interest in feces. He used Coprophilia as a metaphor. The Pope said, "Disinformation is probably the greatest damage that the media can do, as opinion is guided in one direction, neglecting the other part of the truth," Francis' message was directed at news media, but it could easily be applied to the manipulation of information by fake news producers.

Purveyors of misinformation alleging sex trade out of restaurant involving Hilary Clinton recently caused an incident at a pizza parlor in Washington DC, brought one of the parents of the Sandy Hook tragedy under attack of threats by people who believe the Sandy Hook shootings to be a hoax, and the continued false allegations that President Obama's mother-in-law will be getting a $160,000 for baby sitting for the Obama's daughters.

The Pope went on to say, "I believe that the media should be very clear, very transparent, and not fall prey — without offence, please — to the sickness of coprophilia, which is always wanting to communicate scandal, to communicate ugly things, even though they may be true." The Pope made his comments in an interview with the Belgian Catholic weekly Tertio.

He added, "And since people have a tendency towards the sickness of coprophagia, it can do great harm." It already has.

Think before you speak.

One of the aspects of my faith is to Do No Harm. And, a part of Do No Harm is to think before  speaking.

This is something the media should visit and revisit. In the rush to be first we can often get it wrong. In the rush to fill up air time with anything pundits do so much more.

There's a thoughtful piece in the Columbia Journalism Review by Jennifer Vanasco, In marathon explosion coverage, avoid premature accusations.

There are examples in the article of irresponsible speculation from Glenn Beck and others.

 “No American citizen blows up random people,” conveniently forgetting Timothy McVeigh, and regular Fox News guest Erik Rush tweeted, “Let’s kill them,” meaning Muslims."

These comments are hateful and racists. They are deliberately provocative to what end? Americans have perpetrated other mass killings. Think about Sandy Hook, Aurora, Tuscon and Columbine. The perpetrators were all white people. Should we paint white Americans as unstable mass killers?
Obviously not.

I was taught Who, What, Where, When and How. Here's something else to consider.

Being first...being wrong

When social media and and old media team up, the results can be wrong.
Poynter's Jeff Sonderman reports that news organizations around the country posted Facebook information about the wrong guy in connection with the Shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

There was also early speculation that the shooter was an angry father and, that the guns were all acquired legally. Yet, I heard the spokesperson for the Connecticut State Police tell reporters today that they had not finished investigating the history of each of the weapons. It is now assumed that the alleged shooter, Adam Lanza, was mentally ill. A logical assumption but, it is speculation at this point.

Whatever happened to checking the facts and confirming sources?