US embassy cable - 05KINGSTON1135

UNCLAS KINGSTON 001135 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA CBARONE; INFO WHA/PDA MJOHNSON; APRUITT; 
RBANKS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KPAO, JM 
SUBJECT: Request for Speaker on Journalism Ethics 
 
 
1.  Summary: Post seeks a speaker to direct a three day 
program of discussions and training on ethics issues for 
journalists and journalism students. End Summary. 
 
2.  Proposed Program Dates: A three-day program in Jamaica 
in September 2005 (dates are flexible but preferred dates 
are mid-September). 
 
3.  MPP Strategic Goal: "Democratic Systems and Practices" 
 
4. Purpose of the Program: Post seeks a speaker to address 
ethics issues in journalism.  Topics of particular relevance 
to Jamaica are: reporting on scandal,- speculation and 
rumor; objectivity and personal agendas; editorial page 
ethics; ethics and the Internet; special interests buying 
coverage; plagiarism and deception; ethics in reporting 
crime and violence (including photojournalism/visual 
presentation); and boundaries and guidelines. 
 
Jamaica is a small society.  Rumor and speculation 
(presented as fact) circulate fast, often fueled by the 
personal opinions of radio talk show hosts and newspaper 
columnists, many without journalism training.  Conflicts of 
interest abound; media figures generally have affiliations 
crossing public and private sectors.  Journalists, young and 
old alike, find themselves pressured by special interests 
and distracted by rumor and innuendo.  In an increasingly 
competitive media landscape, reporters are also under 
pressure to break stories at any cost.  Factual and 
objective reporting is often a casualty of all these 
pressures. 
 
Jamaica will benefit from accurate and fair reporting, based 
on clear analysis of the facts and with high professional 
standards.  While some media houses, such as the Gleaner 
newspaper, have attempted to establish their own code of 
ethics, the topic is barely addressed by the English- 
speaking Caribbean's only journalism training school. The 
proposed speaker program will address this issue and 
sensitize younger journalists and journalism students about 
the importance of ethical considerations. 
 
5.  Audience: Practicing journalists and editors (print and 
broadcast media); youth reporters; students and lecturers in 
journalism and communications. 
 
6.  Proposed topics and nature of events: Workshop 
(consisting of two morning sessions) for practicing 
journalists; lunch with the Media Association of Jamaica 
(influential media bosses); Editors Forum at the Gleaner 
newspaper; meeting with lecturers at the Caribbean Institute 
of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) at the University of 
the West Indies; presentation to a CARIMAC undergraduate 
class; after-school discussion session with teenage 
journalists. 
 
7. Type of specialist required: An academic from a 
journalism school such as Columbia University Graduate 
School of Journalism, the School of Journalism and 
Communication at the University of Oregon or the College of 
Communications at California State University, Fullerton. 
 
8.  Language: English. 
 
9.  Funding specifics: I Bucks. 
 
10. Post program officer: Glenn Guimond, PAO; tel: (876) 935- 
6053; fax: (876) 929-3637; email:guimondg@state.gov.  Back- 
up program officer: Emma Lewis, PAA, tel: (876) 935-6009; 
fax: (876) 929-3637; email: lewisec@state.gov. 
 
Regards, 
 
Tighe