2010 Session 1
SESSION I 9:00-10:15
The New Journalism Ecosystem: Transparency, Standards and Practice
Special presentation by
Charles Lewis, professor, American University; founding executive editor, Investigative Reporting Workshop
Moderator:
Kathy Bissen, Director of Production, Wisconsin Public Television
Moderator: Kathy Bissen
Presenter: Charles Lewis
How will tha conference help us Journalists?
What do conference participants think of this idea: A “TAO of Journalism — Transparent, Accountable and Open” pledge and seal. See http://www.taoofjournalism.org for more details. This is a totally voluntary commitment to be Transparent about who you are and where you’re coming from (plus who’s funding you), Accountable if you make mistakes and thus willing to make corrections, apoligize, etc., and Open to other points of view through comments, online discussions, or other means. Journalists of any kind — mainstream, independent, nonprofit, bloggers, print, broadcast, cable, online — would “take the TAO pledge” and put the TAO Seal on their websites or printed pages. It would be a signal to readers, viewers and listeners that you’re TAO — just as journalists demand of those they cover. It would not be policed by any organization, but “crowdsourced” through online feedback and a Sealbreakers page to report violations. The Washington News Council has trademarked the TAO Seal and already have more than a dozen individuals and organizations signed up to use it when it launches in May, including Tom Stites of The Banyan Project and David Cohn of Spot.us, plus a number of Seattle-area bloggers. It was free to the first 10 pledgers, but now we’re asking for a $25 donation from individuals and a $50 donation from organizations to use the TAO seal. (That’s tax-deductible, since we are a 501c3 nonprofit group.) Comments and suggestions welcome. This is no panacea, but it can help increase public trust in the news media at all levels. Just TAO it!