Cory Davis
MC301 Contributor/Staff
Jackson State University mass communication students ventured across town March 19 to hear media professionals on five different panels discussing the importance of ethics in public relations, media management, news, digital content media and sports broadcasting.
The Belhaven University Department of Communications hosted its 2015 Media Ethics Conference on in the Barber Auditorium. The conference was open to the public and welcomed some of JSU’s students, alumni, faculty and staff.
Elayne Hayes-Anthony, current chair of the Belhaven Communications Department and incoming chair of the Department of Mass Communication at JSU, was pleased to have so many universities, community colleges and high schools represented from across the state of Mississippi at the conference. Hayes-Anthony begins her new position at Jackson State on July
“This is just a small glimpse of the positive innovations and rebuilding I plan on doing at Jackson State University,” said Hayes-Anthony.
“Breaking: Media Ethics in a Communication Crisis” started with a panel discussion of public relations directors.
“In this industry, honesty is very important,” said Olivia Goodheart, director of public relations at JSU. “I chose public relations to have an inside look into the positive side of the industry instead of journalism, which in my opinion conveys a more pessimistic side of things.”
During the discussion of news directors, the panel participants focused on how ethics has become relevant in today’s society and how the topic is very important in modern media.
“Taking things out of context can come back on you as a professional. Falsifying something or plagiarism is something you just shouldn’t do,” said Ben Heart, news director at WAPT TV 16. “There has to be a standard established as to what you choose to air versus what you do not air. You don’t want to be salacious nor do you want to gross the audience out.”
Since news age media is shifting more towards the Internet and social media, a panel of digital content specialists discussed the importance of attribution, credibility, and promoting ethics during controversy.
“Attribution is key. Regardless of if the story is true or false, we must attribute it,” said Angela Williams, digital content media director at WAPT TV 16. “We usually call the source and ask them to use pictures or content. We make sure that we have permission before we use any type of picture of content (from social media).”
Kimberly Stampley, a senior mass communications major at JSU, was among many of the participants that enjoyed the conference.
“I really enjoyed this conference today and it was very informative. I learned so much from the different panels of well-respected professionals,” said Stampley.
Bonnie Jackson, adjunct professor in the Department of Mass Communications at JSU, was pleased that students from her class attended the conference.
“It was nice to participate in this media ethics conference today and I was glad to have some of my students here in attendance as well,” said Jackson “The students had an opportunity to hear from some great professionals that currently work industry positions which they may aspire to work in someday.”
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