Failing the Four-Way Test
I'm a Rotarian. Have been for eight years. It's a wonderful service organization. Members are supposed to follow The Four-Way Test in their business and professional lives.
Of the things we think, say or do:
* Is it the truth?
* Is it fair to all concerned?
* Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
* Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
So, when I got this e-mail from Jim Kennedy today, I had to come clean:
I applaud the News & Record's decision to NOT publish the Danish cartoons. Your reasoning, as expressed in your column February 19th, was sound. Freedom of the press needs to be tempered, as you state, with taste, tone and civic value. In addition, for me, as a Rotarian,
the decision not to publish also adheres to The Four-Way Test. Thank you.
Yikes!
It's difficult, if not impossible, to edit a newspaper and live by the Four-Way test. We always strive for numbers 1 and 2, but 3 and 4 are tough, particularly if you achieve No. 1. A few years ago, I was publicly outed by a fellow Rotarian in the news for not following The Four-Way Test in our coverage of him. I half-expected to be booted out of Rotary. (He was right, too. We printed the truth, and it didn't build a better friendship.) I said as much to Jim. He responded:
I have to admit that applying The Four-Way Test would indeed hobble your business, but setting outer boundaries is especially important these days, as civility seems to be continuously under attack.
Yep. I suspect that applying The Four-Way Test would be problematic for many businesses besides newspapers. Actually, our duty as a newspaper is to nail the truth and fairness clauses. Goodwill and better friendship have to sort themselves out, I'm afraid.
Comments (11)
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Whew. That's a tough set of rules. In my blogging I'd like to think that number four is satisfied since I strive for one and two, but I don't think in the polarized climate of today's political discourse, that number three is possible as long as we all hold stubbornly to our own views without compromise.
Posted on February 19, 2006 6:01 PM
Editor Robinson,
You can present us with as many ways as you want.
None of them change the fact you've published Abu Ghraib photos and now refuse to publish Danish cartoon photos.
I hope you take a look at Jeff Jacoby's column here: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/02/19/when_fear_cows_the_media/
John
Posted on February 19, 2006 6:27 PM
Maybe those of us who have had our fill of government and journalism by "constructive quorum" . . . or being told what is "wrong-headed" . . . would like to see the Rotarian code give way to the truth of who, what, when, where and why.
Posted on February 19, 2006 7:13 PM
More excuses for running up the white flag of surrender to the Islamist.
Posted on February 19, 2006 9:18 PM
Meanwhile, while we're splitting hairs over "journalism" in products that are becoming more and more useless on a daily basis, the wonderful members of the "religion of peace" have done it again:
Islamic demonstrators have damaged the US embassy in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.
The group was protesting over Danish cartoons lampooning Islam's Prophet Mohammed as well as his depiction in a sculpture at the US supreme court in Washington.
Read the whole article Here
The sculputure has been on the supreme court building since 1935!!!
So, I guess the question is: will JR run that sculputure image in the newspaper? Things that make you go "Hmmmmm..."
Here's my prediction: he might. But, he won't run the cartoons -- still. His logic: the Supreme Court sculpture wasn't done to intentionally offend anyone. (The logic will of course be lost on the "reglion of peace" protesters who are such deep thinkers and obviously care what logic is applied to things...)
Posted on February 20, 2006 8:48 AM
Mr. Robinson, I believe it is a newspaper's DUTY to concern themselves solely with rules #1 and #2. #3 and #4 is best left to the Rotarians and churches. Not all news builds "goodwill", nor can it if the news reports bad or criminal behaviors exhibited by any groups because surely it will not be building goodwill for, or with, that group. In fact, Mr. Robinson I will speak more plainly: for a newpaper to even attempt to adhere to these rules is criminally failing to serve their purpose and their readership!
Posted on February 20, 2006 10:12 AM
Ms. Bowers, that's pretty much where I came out, too.
Posted on February 20, 2006 10:23 AM
"In fact, Mr. Robinson I will speak more plainly: for a newpaper to even attempt to adhere to these rules is criminally failing to serve their purpose and their readership!"
I'm not sure it's actually "criminal", Brenda. But I do think we have made a good case for "unprofessional"
Posted on February 20, 2006 10:28 AM
Mr. Robinson, How in the world can you see that we are talking about the same thing when you are heavy on rules #3 and #4 and I believe that neither rule has any place at all in a publication that calls itself a NEWSPAPER. Perhaps these rules would work well for a church bulletin but certainly not a newspaper. You are acting like you are so afraid of offending some groups that you go out of your way to not offend any. Newspapers job is to report ALL of the truth and if the truth offends so be it. Toughen up and do what you need to be doing or give in and admit that you are NOT a newpaper after all! Dang it anyhow, but my dander is up. It tends to happen when I get disgusted with people.
Posted on February 22, 2006 11:19 AM
Nowhere in the post do I say we're heavy on #3 and 4. What I do say is this:
"Actually, our duty as a newspaper is to nail the truth and fairness clauses. Goodwill and better friendship have to sort themselves out, I'm afraid."
If you read some of the comments in this blog or the letters to the editor you'll see that we don't seem to have a problem offending people.
Posted on February 22, 2006 11:40 AM
If you read some of the comments in this blog or the letters to the editor you'll see that we don't seem to have a problem offending people.* JR
No doubt about that! Why don't you take it to the level of " Common Sense" by Thomas Paine, if you were really concern about saving this country from the impending establishment chaos that is charging like a wild tribe of barbarians on steroids toward the American and North Carolina citizens.
When will you conservative republicans ever learn, that you are simply a establishment corporate tool in this so-called Republican-Conservative, Liberal-Democrat Paradigm with JR and his code of feel good.
Posted on November 4, 2007 7:29 PM