Jeff Jarvis is wrong about Haiti and the SPJ

Original photo courtesy Eirik Solheim

I love Jeff Jarvis.

I follow his blog and his Twitter feed, and I honestly wish more news executives would too. His ideas on the future of media and the role of the Internet in that future have deeply influenced my views.

But sometimes, Jarvis is dead wrong.

Friday afternoon, Jarvis launched a tirade on Twitter in response to a statement from the Society of Professional Journalists on reporters’ conduct in Haiti. In it, they urged reporters not to forget that their job is to accurately tell the story of what’s happening on the ground in Haiti.

Undoubtedly, journalists walk a fine line to balance their professional responsibilities with their humanity when covering disasters. SPJ does not nor would it ever criticize or downplay the humane acts journalists are performing in Haiti. But news organizations must use caution to avoid blurring the lines between being a participant and being an objective observer.

Their stance drew applause from some in the industry, including journalism professor Gary Schwitzer, who took a closer look at the role doctor-reporters are playing down in Haiti earlier this week.

But Jarvis wasn’t pleased. Read the rest of this entry »