My Personal Code

Candace Burr
Personal Code of Conduct
Comms 239- Cressman
11.19.009

Candace Burr’s Personal Code of Conduct
My understanding of journalism has been drastically fine tuned by participating in the principles of journalism course. The high standard of peer commentary in class discussions has given me a better idea of who I want to be as a journalist in the future. It has helped me decide what behavior I want to have in the workplace, and what standard of excellence I will hold my work to. I have been able to mold a concrete concept of behavior I will expect from myself in my future professional endeavors.
First, I would like to articulate my understanding of journalism as a profession, so I can create a basis for my code of conduct. I believe journalism is one of the most important professions practiced today. Journalists are information gatherers and distributors. They help people become more aware of each other and of events. Information helps people maintain the good situations in their lives, or it creates an atmosphere of urgency to change for the better.
My feelings about journalism mirror those of Mr. Walter Cronkite, when he says, “The secret to our past success as a nation may be traced to the fact that we have been a free people, free to discuss ideas and alternatives, free to teach and learn, free to report and hear.” I agree with Mr. Cronkite that a free press that allows journalism to flourish is at the center of a functioning free society, a free market economy, and a democratic government. Restricting transmissions of or poorly communicating events perpetuates bad ideas and bad decisions for a nation, and for individuals.
As a future journalist, I want to keep this pure idea of journalism in mind. I want to be able to change people’s tainted view of journalism. I want the citizens to be grateful for the information they receive, and I want those in power to have a respectful fear for the monitoring of power that journalism fulfills. I want the profession to be revered, and not scoffed at. To do this, journalism must be practiced in an honest and open way. I want to stay true to the democratic duty I have as reporting citizen in this free society. I will try to accomplish this by:
(a) Always performing complete, in depth and accurate research. As a beginning reporter I already realize how easy it is to “take the easy story”. I have found myself going to newspapers or watching the AP wires for interesting news breaks. As a future reporter, however, I want to be creative enough to find my own stories the majority of time. My code of conduct will embrace my own original work.
(b) Following a personal moral compass. Although my moral compass may have different standards than other people I happen to work with, I feel that it is more important to stay true to yourself, than sacrifice what you know is right for money, fame, or the fear of losing your job. I will, as a future professional, choose my “reporting battles” carefully, and realize when it is time to take a stand on something I feel is not appropriate or helpful for the citizens I am responsible to.
(c) Reporting with loyalty to the audience. After learning about audiences, and the duty reporters have in reporting news specific to the interests of their audience, I realize I want to be able to make that distinction as a future professional. I will always try to report relevant information that will help the people I am responsible to make important life decisions. I will try to keep my interest from overtaking my work. I will always search for stories that will affect my audience, and not for stories that I selfishly want to cover for personal reasons.
(d) Remaining loyal to the station. As a reporter, or professional in the communications field, I will always strive to report news that pertains to my audience. However, I will also try to remember that I am an employee for a business, and that I am responsible to a larger entity. I will always live up to station policies, and produce work that is original, and personal, while still fitting the mold of the station ideal. I will produce work that will bring a positive light and reputation to the company I work for, and I will conduct myself in a way that presents the company in a positive public light.
(e) Steer clear of sensational reporting. Reporting celebrity news, or entertainment related news may be easy, and interesting, but it does not inform audiences of important life changing events. As a reporter, I will always try to report heavy, hard news, and report feature or soft news on topics that are truly important to the audience. I will always steer clear of entertainment reporting if I am reporting for a serious news organization.
(f) Keep work relationships professional. In the broadcast industry, reporters work extremely long hours, and develop close relationships with the people they spend the long hours with. Making friends is part of the job, but as a reporter I will always keep those relationships at strict friendship level.
On top of keeping appropriate colleague boundaries, I will always try not to talk negatively about fellow co-workers. I will always try to give credit where credit is due, and keep my negative opinions to myself, or express them to my employer, or boss in a private setting.

By holding myself to these journalism standards, I feel that I will be able to have a successful and fulfilling professional career. It is important to set standards before situations occur, because I know they will.
My career objective will be to improve the practice of journalism. As I practice in a professional manner, I hope that my example will inspire my co-workers to also practice honestly and excellently. Hopefully I will be able to, in a small way, improve society’s view of journalism and improve people’s understanding of the world.
I think that success in any workplace with any person comes by having a well-balanced life. Commitment to working hard and developing a respected career is very important to me, as long as I am not placing an unbalanced importance on career versus other parts of life. So, in my code of conduct I would like to include a section on my hopes for my life in general. I hope that my personal life, family, husband, and religion will bring me fulfillment that I can translate to others through my work.
I hope that I can teach and inform audiences, and as a professional I would like my occupation to teach me and inform me through my time in the field. I want to be able to learn more about the world and myself every day. I want to meet new people, and learn about the way they see the world. I want to always have an eye for the compelling story, and an attitude that cares about individuals more than me or my career. This will be possible through the exciting, spontaneous experiences that reporting presents for me, and by dedicating myself to the behaviors I have spoken about. Overall, I will strive to bring praise and respect back to the practice of journalism.

Trib brings some fun to journalism!

In Utah, Jell-O always has a place on the Thanksgiving table right next to the turkey, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. But we don't take molded gelatin too seriously. Which explains why The Tribune received more than 450 haikus in our third annual Jell-O poetry contest. We were most impressed with the number of student entries. Junior high and high school students submitting 212 haikus while elementary age group had nearly 70 entries. We'd like to thank their teachers who obviously made the poem a class assignment. Some haikus were heartfelt. Others were silly. A few were irreverent. Read them all by clicking on the links in the box at right.

The best adult haiku:

How they would bellow
When the kids missed their Jell-O.
Now they're more mellow.

-- Mark Fotheringham

The best secondary:

Utah's favorite treat
Best eaten on a mountain
Best when colored green

-- Caitlin Lundy, Woods Cross High

The best elementary:

Thanksgiving dinner
When we all come together
Please don't have Jell-O

-- Ellie Agnew

SECOND PLACE

Adult
Jell-O is the sole
Solid food allowed before
Colonoscopy
-- Theodore Gurney
Secondary
When you stick Jell-O
In a microwave on high,
BOOM! Get a paper towel.
-- Micalea Berglund, Ecker Hills Middle School
Elementary
Moldy Jell-O gross
My brother dared me to eat
Ouch my tummy hurts
-- Hana Gottlieb

THIRD PLACE

Adult
Weapon of mass fun
Rockets around the lunchroom:
Jell-O on children.
-- Ira Hatch
Secondary
Sweet Jell-O salad
Memories of sticky hands
Cool whip covered face
-- Sara Davis, Valley High
Elementary
Whipped cream welcoming;
Celery, carrots, peas, no!
Leave plain, it's Jell-O.
-- Connor Lloyd

HONORABLE MENTIONS (ADULT)

Bare bones bleached and boiled
Skin scraped degreased acid soaked
Scrumptious gelatin
-- Trisha Topham

Green Vodka Jello!
For Mormons who sneak a drink
Don't tell the bishop.
-- Skylar Schulzke

Neighborhood potluck
Turned festival of Jell-Os
As the molds lined up
-- Leslie Brockway

Church potluck Jell-O
Carrots, beets, miracle whip
Sister's germ warfare
-- Janet Beverley

Since Utah is home,
We consume Jell-O daily,
Year in and year out.
-- Cheryl Farr

Jell-O is made of
Horse hooves and synthetic dye.
We feed this to kids.
-- J.C. Smith

Mix bones and sugar
Anti-Vegan evil treat
Diabetics Die
-- Arthur Reilly

HONORABLE MENTIONS (SECONDARY, GRADE 7-12)

Did you ever think
Dictators are like Jell-O
Spineless and crazy
-- Sam Mortensen

Snack pack of my dreams
Where are you when I need you
I guess at the store
-- Quinn Cleveland

If Earth was Jell-O
What such bouncy disarray
Our planet would be
-- Collin Kenny

Jell-O any flavor
Non-edible, weird, slimy
Meat-by-product. Eww
-- Nikki Low

To ease the group's strain
Grandma's taking Jell-O shots
Ahh, Jell-O salad
-- Samantha Paul

Extra lime Jell-O
Get rid of the tofurkey
More Jell-O for me
-- Jackson Burton

Jell-O day is here
My favorite day this year
Always room for more!!
-- Allison Vernon

"Slimy, squishy, fun
Slipping, sliding in my tongue,
Yummy, Jell-O gone!"
-- Stephanie Everson

Seven Calories
Artificial Flavor
In a cardboard box
-- Rachel Davidson

Squishy sticky mess
In my hair and on my clothes
Jello-O fight. Oh. No.
-- Liesl Roberts

HONORABLE MENTIONS (ELEMENTARY)

Absorbs anything
Try putting anything in
Just pop straight right out
-- Christopher Alex Alexis Lopez

I don't like Jell-O
But I like my mom's it's good
I love her Jell-O!
-- Taedra Benson

Jell-O is crazy
Baby is very brainy
Covered in Jell-O
-- Efren Diaz

Abdul-Jabbar Leukenia Fight

In my opinion, this is a very smart move for Abdul-Jabbar. By bringing himself into the media, he counters all of the rumors and is able to tell the truth. After a life-time of media following him, Jabbar knows the ropes.

Sports of The Times

Abdul-Jabbar Goes Public With Leukemia Fight

Richard Perry/The New York Times

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said he learned last December that he has chronic myeloid leukemia.

In addition to his signature sky hook and a legacy of winning at every level, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was known for his stamina and fitness. During a 20-year N.B.A. career that included six championships and six Most Valuable Player awards, Abdul-Jabbar had one serious injury, a broken wrist. Other than that he had enjoyed a healthy career.

Carol Francavilla/Associated Press

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, battling Robert Parish of the Celtics, was a six-time M.V.P. during his 20-year N.B.A. career

So the news Monday that the 62-year-old star athlete turned writer and coach was battling leukemia came as a stunning revelation.

“Imagine how I felt,” he said in an interview in Manhattan. “It was frightening. You hear the word leukemia and it’s something that really affects you.”

Especially when there is a history of cancer in the family. Abdul-Jabbar had a grandfather and an uncle who died from the disease. “And my father almost died,” he said, “so it’s something that really got me going.”

The first person Abdul-Jabbar thought about after learning he had the disease was a close friend who died of leukemia. He remembered talking to his friend just before the end. “He was weak, his voice was fading, his blood vessels deteriorated — it was really horrific,” Abdul-Jabbar said.

“He got diagnosed one day and within four weeks he was dead,” he added. “I thought I was on that same path. I don’t have that type of leukemia. You just say the word leukemia, you’ve got reason to be scared.”

Abdul-Jabbar learned last December that he has chronic myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow in which the body produces cancerous white blood cells. Chronic describes a relatively slow-growing cancer that may take years to progress. Myeloid refers to the type of white blood cell being overproduced.

“It’s been almost a year now since I’ve been diagnosed,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “My first reaction was to deal with it, make that fight for my life.”

Like many patients found to have this particular strain of leukemia, Abdul-Jabbar learned he had the disease while it was in its early phase.

“In order to really deal with this situation, you have to find a specialist and follow their instructions,” he said. “You have to take your medication; you have to get your blood checked regularly so that you can be monitored.”

For the last 11 months he has kept a brisk regimen: coaching with the Los Angeles Lakers, completing a documentary about the all-black Harlem Rens teams and writing a children’s book.

“It’s something that can be managed,” he said of his disease. “You can continue to live a productive life without changing your lifestyle that much. It does not have to be a death sentence.”

Why would someone who has been so fiercely private be so public about such a personal issue? Over the years Abdul-Jabbar has been one of the most intriguing athletes: a champion and, after the cheering stopped, a scholar and intellectual. He has written several best-selling history books, and is completing a documentary film. His seventh book is scheduled to be published in 2011.

Through all his accomplishments — at Power Memorial High School and U.C.L.A. and with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar has kept largely to himself. So why such a public disclosure?

“I think that someone like me, who has a public presence, because people pay attention to what’s going on in my life, can help save some lives,” he said. “I want to get the message across: this condition is treatable. I want to get people to go to doctors, take the medication. This disease can be managed and you can continue to live a very meaningful life.”

A related objective is to encourage people, especially men, to take better care of themselves. This means making more frequent trips to the doctor for checkups.

“You’ve got to be proactive about your health,” he said. “You can’t just sit back. If I can affect that condition, I’m a very happy guy.”

Why is it that the illness of a great athlete is so disconcerting, be it Lou Gehrig or Ernie Davis? Perhaps because those of us who spend so much time in sports live in a cocoon of healthy, young bodies where fatal illness is rare and injuries are simply part of the landscape.

“I’ve been a student of the martial arts my whole life,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “The whole idea of facing death calmly and doing all you can with your life up to that moment and to keep your objectives — that’s been the part of this that has made me.”

In his sport and in his day, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a true King of the Hill. Two decades after his retirement, he still holds the N.B.A. career scoring record. The diagnosis of leukemia is one more mountain to climb, one more season to negotiate.

“I’m going to be able to do the things that I love to do,” he said. “Deal with my children, write, coach. I can still live a meaningful life and manage this disease.

“I’m going to continue being me. I can’t stop doing that.”

An Interview About the Future

The Future of News is daunting. We know the internet has drastically altered the playing field. But there is an upside: most news outlets are creating web departments, opening jobs for web specialists and designers, and acknowledging the presence of alternate emerging media. For my Journalist Interview I had a conference with the web department at the NBC affiliate in Boise. I worked with the station a little this summer, and never got a chance to talk to them specifically about web-based journalism, so i dug a little deeper.

It was fun for me to realize how optimistic and excited they are for the future of journalism. The internet is not something that needs to be feared or compensated for, it is something new and full of opportunity that needs to be embraced and adjusted for. Here is a transcript of our conversation...I'm giving the most interesting answer for each(in my opinion! what are blogs for?)

Q:Why did you decide to become a web-based journalist?

A: I recognized digital media as a very moldable versatile medium. I recognized it as a chance to explore new opportunities and break-through technology. It fascinated me, and I was really good with computers! The job market for internet positions at stations was so much more forgiving and open than reporting jobs, so I gave it a try and it ended up working for me more than I thought it would.

Q:How do you define good journalism? What should be posted to the websites or covered in online packages?

A: I ask myself, what does your audience want to know? What will they be searching for this morning once they drop their kids off at the bus stop? The internet is more important than most think. People are turning more and more to it because they can have a more refined search on their personal timetable. I define good journalism as journalism that explains he world to the audience, explains what is going on, but doesn't tell them what to think. It doesn't tell them what to believe or what to do, but it is a medium for information. When you inform, you are doing your job, but deciding what to inform about it the hard part.

Q:Do you feel NBC practices good journalism based on your definition of it?

A:I do. We stick to our station motto, but that in no way dampens our journalistic content. I feel that NBC is one of the top stations in breaking news coverage, and our reporters are dedicated to finding stories applicable to the people.

Q:Does your organization allow you to do the type of journalism you want to do?

A: Of course they masage ideas from everyone at the station, but I wouldn't say they cover the news I specifically want. If I could get news it would be on new movies and video games, so of course they don't cover that! It's important to target your information to the general audience in your area, it's tricky when you get really specific to a demographic. But, they take my ideas for what they are worth, and they realize the importance of digital media.

Q:What is your opinion about civic journalism or citizen journalism?

A: oh, we need it. It is so important to what we do at the station. Most stories come from tips, from people calling or e-mailing and telling us what's gong on, what they want to hear about. Without the citizens digging up things, we wouldn't know half of what we do about the underground happenings in the community.

Q:Have you ever had an experience where you felt that your journalism really made a difference?

A: I couldn't really pick out a specific story or instance, but I can tell you that wehn we get e-mails thanking us for the things we do, it is such a good feeling. We get e-mails thanking us for the channel's work in changing the community, and of course the people love the BSU football coverage, it's silly, but it's what they want to hear!

Q: Have you been affected by dropping circulations, ratings, layoffs, and 

growth of citizen journalism? 

A: I think it can be said the same for stations across the country. Less and Less jobs are available, and the people who are kept on need to be very versatile workers. The reporters write their own web stories, and sometimes edit on their own. More people are taking on more responsibility as less people are part of the newsroom. Producers are amazing, they do as much work as five of us. But my job is fairly stable because the internet is emerging, new, and needed.

Q:What advice would you give to students, like me, who want to go into journalism?

A: I would tell them to grow a tough skin. As sad as this may be, news is cut throat, it's first come first serve. There is a time for sensitivity, when interacting with interviewees, there is a time for respect and propriety when dealing with directors and editors, but there is a time to get to the bottom of things, and reporters learn to balance their emotions and behavior like that. They are very accomplished investigative intelligent people, I admire their work and persistence every day.

AND SO IT GOES..... THERE YOU HAVE IT! WHAT A FUN INTERVIEW!

THIS IS IT!

Like many dedicated fans, I will be attending the new Michael Jackson documentary 'This is It' this halloween weekend. JUST ONE THING THOUGH! ONE PIECE OF COMMENTARY!

It is so funny to me that a man, who was mocked in life, is revered in death. I love his music, I think he was intriguing, talented, and mysterious....and no doubt a great performer. But this god-like status he is now on confuses me. I feel like we have a serious case of "perpetuated fame" on our hands.

Shouting the new Spanking

So I did my news story for my reporting class this week on "Shouting being the New Spanking". Many doctors say a societal shift is occuring, and that todays parents are becoming a loud mouthed generation. I found this to be a very compelling topic, and my interviews were so fun! I enjoyed covering news that was family oriented, and that will most definately make people THINK.
 video from CNN that is undoubtedly better than mine, but nonetheless focused on the same topic.

The New Age of EVERYTHING

In the new age we could expect children to use the internet more and more, cell phones to render land lines extinct, and virtual social networking to be more prominant that actual real social networking.

But did you ever think that this would happen? Companies are now turning to online sources to cute costs in recruiting celebrity and athlete endorsers. Clever, cheaper, and well.....new!

Michael Phelps is a perfect example of why extra caution is being taken. brands want to know that their endorsers are SOLID and trustworthy, not making seriour career and personal blunders.