Rick Davis, a graduate of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism from 1984, speaks during the CNN Speakers Bureau on Monday, November 17.
Katie Ladenos is a 13-year-old with a secret: Her uncle was Osama bin Laden.
The teen’s social media post about her familial roots was supposed to be private — just a note to her friends on her personal page. But the post was also seen by a friend’s mother, who happened to be a producer at CNN.
“This is an example of the kind of thing we deal with on day to day basis,” said Rick Davis, CNN executive vice president of news standards and practice.
Neither Ladenos nor the situation is real, but the CNN officials guiding about 30 students and faculty members through the journalistic decision-making process yesterday in Knight Hall are. Four representatives from CNN, all alumni of this university, delivered an interactive presentation on legal and ethical issues journalists might face when covering a big story.
David Vigilante, CNN vice president and associate general counsel and 1989 graduate of this university, walked fellow panelists and audience members through the hypothetical scenario, considering questions of national security, protection of sources, journalistic responsibility and legal obligations.
Vigilante asked panelists and audience members to offer opinions as the case progressed. Ultimately, the panel members and audience agreed that while some stories clearly need to be reported, journalists must balance thoroughness and timeliness to ensure the safety of those involved.
“I was worried that they were just going to lecture us for an hour and a half,” said Michelle Sloan, a sophomore enrolled in letters and sciences who attended the presentation. “But instead, they led a valuable discussion.”
Sloan said she appreciated the interactive nature of the presentation because it forced people to consider tough choices for themselves, which they would have to do in the real world.
“There’s a danger to publish and a danger not to publish as well,” said Etan Horowitz, CNN senior mobile editor and 2003 graduate of this university.
Horowitz advocated proceeding with caution when dealing with heavy cases and consulting superiors in the decision-making process. Meanwhile, CNN Senior News Editor Rick Martin, a 1992 graduate of this university, said it might be difficult as a father to separate parental concerns from the equation in a situation similar to the scenario presented.
Media law instructor Deb Nelson attended the panel and said while the panelists presented an interesting case, there are other real-world examples of ethical dilemmas she wishes they would’ve discussed, such as the potential for punishment for publishing certain information or protecting sources.
“I thought they addressed the conflict of national security and public safety versus disclosure really well,” Nelson said. “I am very much on the side of disclosure, typically, but it’s something that journalists have to stop and consider.”
The panelists also analyzed how the evolving news world has affected reporting.
Horowitz said now anyone can be a journalist, and the cost to enter the market has gone down. CNN app alerts reach 50 million readers, which is more than the number of viewers who watch the channel on TV, he said. While the brand and the mission are the same, the way CNN lives up to its role has changed, he added.
It can be difficult in today’s world, Davis said, to balance competitiveness with journalistic responsibility.
“When we are wrong, those 50 million people tweet out just how wrong big, bad CNN was,” Davis said.
