Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Sean Pooley on video editing

When editing video it is imperative to maintain journalistic integrity. Editing statements to fit the context of the story is acceptable as long as it does not transform the overall message of the person’s statement. A prime example of this would be if someone were to say, “ It’s not like I support the war.” Hypothetically, if a reporter’s story was about people supporting the war, they could edit this statement to say, “I support the war.” However, this would be irresponsible. This reporter could be sued for slander by the interview subject.
Proper journalism is reporting the truth. This is extremely important to remember when editing video. With the editing software available, it is easy to manipulate quotes to fit a story better. When a reporter manipulates or changes quotes they open themselves up to a potential lawsuit. It also hurts their chances of working in the news reporting industry ever again. If they continue to work as a journalist, their reputation is completely damaged. A prime example of this is the New York Times reporter who was faking his stories. It is impossible for people to believe him now. If I were his editor, I would scrutinize everyone of his stories and fact check rigorously to ensure the truth.
In conclusion, it is crucial to ensure journalistic integrity is being upheld when editing video. People need to be able to trust the news they see on television and video editing is a key part of making stories believable.

No comments: