Notes

Civility in the Media
In my forty years of broadcasting experience, I've fielded a large number of questions about might work; topics include covering news, anchoring programs, interviewing world leaders and celebrities, and yes, the glamor and excitement of it all. But I cannot remember anyone-whether on a street, in a classroom, or at a dinner party-ever questioning how news people behaved, or whether that behavior reflects our society.

In my earliest days behind a microphone, I worked at a little radio station while finishing high school. That is where I began learning the very foundations of journalism-accuracy, truth and fairness. Those principles have always stayed with me, from serving as a news assistant for the legendary Walter Cronkite at CBS to the initial public responsibility of running a group of r / c.

As soon as that I walked into that newsroom at WKRO Radio in Boston, I knew I was in a different world-clearly, a strange place where all the stress of society found a house. As a kid from Nashua, New Hampshire, just out of college, I was about to get my first lesson in professional journalism. Newsrooms became my second home, plus some of the characters inside them were priceless mentors if you ask me.

TV News & Decreasing Standards of Civility

The newsrooms where I have worked, generally, did not fit common definitions of civility. They're generally loud, peppered with colorful language, and rarely well-organized; the majority are littered with used coffee cups, pizza boxes, and newspapers. It certainly is been a wonder to me that somehow, this environment manages to result in creativity and responsibility in communicating with a mass audience.

Just what a rich heritage we've in broadcasting, from Edward R. Murrow and Peter Jennings to Walter Cronkite, once voted probably the most trusted man in the us. Remember Chet Huntley and David Brinkley? It had been nice to listen to them say, "goodnight, Chet," and "goodnight, David." These were our heroes, and we stand on their shoulders.

There have been also rules in the early days of broadcasting - unwritten for the most part - that reflected the type of society we were, and the standards we respected. To me, history and tradition are marvelous teachers. I wish young people heading into our business would spend as much time studying the events and personalities of days gone by as they do on technology and social media marketing.

Why We Should Be Careful On Air

When we hit the air and go into an incredible number of homes, it has to be with respect for those who watch and listen. We have to be careful not to offend at all and always aware of the trust put into us. Sometimes, however, politeness bumps against the demands of reporting and the urgency to obtain the facts ahead of everyone else.

We all have observed instances where a reporter will stick a microphone when confronted with a person in anguish who has just lost a relative or friend, to ask questions that violate their privacy and make viewers squirm. How do we balance civility and privacy with the aggressiveness of a reporter and the immediacy of television?

Sometimes, Attempts to be Civil Do Not Work

And yet, there are times when an attempt at civility fails at all on the air. A number of years ago, we began introducing reporters live at the scene of a story by saying, "good evening," and they would reply the same. It was a good touch, a display of politeness between your anchor and reporter. Nevertheless, you can see right now how awkward then the story is really a fire, a murder, or any event that's anything *but *good.

The same standards of civility don't connect with every situation. While I really believe positive stories must have a more impressive presence on our screens and inside our lives, you can't really avoid tragic events altogether. Whenever we do have to report on something that has disastrous repercussions for other living, breathing humans, we should practice sensitivity. We should assume that a missing woman's family is hearing our every word, or our reports are being broadcast straight to the town affected by an all natural disaster. When we cover a newsworthy event with many casualties, we ought to think less concerning the salacious details and much more concerning the victims, who deserve our respect and whose family members need us to tell the truth, not to sensationalize or speculate or glorify.

Historic Events that Shifted the Tide

On the air, Edward R. Murrow often described members of his reporting staff as "Mister Collingwood" or "Mister Severeid." This was civility with some dignity. And there was more. For example, it had been unthinkable for a journalist to interrupt a president while speaking. At that time it was considered rude, uncivil.

The media aside, other activities were different too. Men tipped their hats to women; kids obeyed their parents and cops on the street. For our purposes, it might be foolish to attempt to pinpoint a time once the country changed. Historians might say we lurched from one traumatic event to another.

In television terms, it was the equivalent of a sharp, jolting cut from the Kennedy presidency to the years of civil rights demonstrations, from the murders of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. to protests contrary to the Vietnam War.

As these stories of anger and bloodshed were brought into America's living rooms, lives were being turned upside down in the united states. What to Sell on Your Website had-however minute-was lost as a generation embraced a fresh culture on the streets and campuses, reflecting the turbulence of the era.

About that same amount of time in broadcasting, the peacefulness of Sunday morning- usually reserved for religious broadcasts-slowly disappeared. Some may still remember "The Eternal Light", "Lamp Unto My Feet", along with other award-winning broadcasts. Now, of course, we've non-stop political shouting programs along with other talk shows on the networks and on cable. The programming has changed.

And through the years-through tough economic times, wars, national upheavals, and natural disasters-Americans have suffered, but we've always bounced back. So, because the pendulum of our lives went in one extreme to another, so did our civility.

The State of Media Today

It is easy to paint a poor picture of civil life at this time. Gridlock in Washington, guns on the streets, terrorism, unemployment, and foreclosures are simply some of the challenges we face as a nation. And we've managed to keep some degree of civility, but we are able to do better.

In order to think about the overall picture of civility in today's media, it's inevitable that we'll need to spend a few minutes on reality shows, in addition to the unrelenting bombardment of instant information and entertainment from cable TV and the Internet.

From the Kardashians to Jersey Shore, whenever we turn on the TV, our kids are mesmerized by lifestyles that encourage drinking, bad behavior, unhealthy habits and a lack of respect for family values. And that is just early in the day. Evening programming, targeted at a more mature age group, brings us such "memorable" shows as the Real Housewives installments, Mob Wives, Dance Moms, Repo Men, and Bridezillas, all of which encourage conflict, drama, disrespect, and even crime. And then there are channels devoted to virtually any kind of hobby or strange occupation.

Then there's YouTube, an outlet for video from the sublime to the ridiculous. It's always on, and you can find always people watching out of every area of the world. Unfortunately, I have to add, way too many of the videos on YouTube also find their way onto news programs, because of how bizarre-and usually uncivil-they are.

Well, like anything, there's bad and the good. Cable and satellite technology do have a confident side. There are various quality channels which are educational and carry excellent, inspirational programs. We likewise have channels offering community access and allow us to watch municipality in action.

At home, we are taught at an early age how to behave in speech and in manners. But media and technology have changed our culture. The violence we see in movies has been completed inside concert halls too, hit music fills the air waves with demeaning lyrics, tabloid magazines and TV devote additional time to celebrities' bizarre choices, and all this contributes in some way to a breakdown in society.

And now, another factor is becoming section of the equation. A survey of just one 1,000 American adults, taken by the general public relations firm Weber Shandwick, found the level of civility has suffered further due to our country's ongoing financial troubles. 49% of these questioned consider American CEOs uncivil. Given the Madoff scandal and the low level of rely upon Wall Street, they certainly have a point. As well, the survey showed 81% of Americans contain the news media in charge of improving just how we treat one another. Therefore, in these early years of the 21st century, we are faced with a significant challenge.

Civility & Truth

Now, several words about the blogosphere and social media marketing. As anyone who has spent his life time in journalism, I strongly defend freedom of speech. But I really believe that civility and truth go hand in hand. So at this point, I wish to raise a red flag. With regards to news, the main element question is: what's your source? Who *told *you these details? If the reply is really a common one-"I saw it online"-then beware. The Internet is not necessarily the best source for truth.

And with the incredible speed and universal access of social media sites such as for example Twitter, news reporters need to be more careful than ever before to sort out the truth, to get to the reality. More often these days, civility and truth disappear once the Internet is used as a playground for rumor mongers, hateful bloggers, and cyber-bullies. We've all witnessed the dangers mounted on social media, mainly the horror of teenagers committing suicide because of cyber-bullying that followed them home on their smartphones and laptops.

A survey conducted by Consumer Reports last year showed that 1 million American children were harassed, threatened, or targeted by hurtful comments and rumors. Teenage girls were much more likely than boys to suffer this unimaginable experience. Social media is relatively young and has a role to play in society, but it has shown that it must be watched carefully. Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker put it this way: "The greatest threat to civility may be the pandering to ignorance, the elevation of nonsense and the distribution of false information."

Ernie and the Big Newz: the Book's Message

We must find ways to turn down the quantity of our national discourse and stop rewarding bad behavior, especially that of celebrities who fail as role models for the children. Those folks in the media-especially in the news headlines business-have an obligation to society to clear the air. Adults want that. Even kids look for it.

I regularly speak at local schools, even though the feedback and reaction is terrific, it is also eye-opening. Many young children tell me they have the only way they can become section of a news broadcast is to take action wrong, something bad.

It is really no surprise, because it's what they see when they watch the news headlines. We mostly reward bad behavior. I believe that kind of thinking has to stop. I'm deeply concerned about the unfortunate news events we can not control and must report, which impacts everyone, especially children.

So in reaction to hundreds of comments from adults and teenagers concerning the shortage of positive news stories, I wrote an upbeat children's book called Ernie and the Big Newz: the Adventures of a TV Reporter. The book is about making career choices and believing in yourself, and it's filled with news stories that have positive endings.

My respected fellow colleagues and I know it is a tough job covering a very fast moving and traumatic world. Today, my message is clear: not absolutely all news is negative, and living by the golden rule isn't old-fashioned.

With regards to civility in society, and particularly in the media, I'm uneasy about the kind of world we shall leave our children. Are we on the incorrect path when it comes to civility in the media? From what I've heard and seen, the solution is yes.

Well, then, can we turn things around and enhance the situation? Again, the solution is yes. So, what do we have to do?

Steps We Can Try Make a Difference

In this media-driven society, we must take the lead by producing more high-quality local programs. And we must exercise good editorial judgment in terms of news stories for our daily broadcasts.

How many times have you tuned right into a broadcast that started immediately with crime? A child was shot, or perhaps a teenager's bright future was canceled by drugs, or an elderly person was mugged. The old tabloid saying goes, "if it bleeds, it leads." For me, that's the wrong approach. It exists only because there's a long-held belief inside our industry that it will increase ratings-but most of us believe it generally does not work anymore.

After anchoring close to 15,000 newscasts, I've arrived at the final outcome - people want information that impacts *their *lives. Is my job in jeopardy? Are food prices going up? Are my children healthy? Will be the schools safe? The audience is changing because their world is changing, and we should change with it. That's something we can do.

Throughout my career, I've also played the role of a TV news anchor in a few Hollywood movies. So several words come in order concerning the big studios and production companies. With the glitz and glamor of the big screen, we're still getting more than our share of films that can leave moviegoers with the wrong ideas.

From then on horrible mass-shooting in Aurora, Colorado, cinema, studio giant Harvey Weinstein of Miramax called for a summit meeting of producers to go over movie content. We thank him for that; I fully support this kind of discussion, and hopefully, action.

On a grassroots level, I urge educators throughout the country to recognize the importance of this issue. For instance, schools could require students to take a course in media studies, to better understand our culture and choose prudently. They could include social media marketing etiquette and media exploitation within their studies of ethics and manners.

I don't want this to become a one-person crusade. So I'm respectfully asking my colleagues in TV news, at local stations everywhere, to join me. Together we are able to make this a national effort to boost the total amount of positive stories on TV.

My personal efforts go one step further. I have recently created a fresh group of TV specials called "Positively Ernie." We feature refreshing segments on health, education, philanthropy, technology, media, and a wide range of subjects which are making our community, our country, and also the world, a better place. The feedback has been great.

Finally, we should start in the home by focusing on family life. Communication reaches the center, and we need to talk with our children - and really pay attention to them in exchange. We also have to connect and strengthen ties with many reputable organizations to do whatever we can to greatly help parents guide children within their use of the web, social media, and TV. Kids are growing up in a much different culture than their parents did, and it's our responsibility to bring parents updated, so that they have some context in which to understand, relate, and make a difference.

But make no mistake. We have a long way to go. It won't be easy, and it won't happen overnight. However, I'm confident that by working together, we can successfully spread the message that civility is the foundation of our lives-and of our media as well.

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