Can a journalist demonstrate for the environment or show his support for the Black Lives Matter movement on social networks? The journalistic community hotly debated the question at the annual congress of the Professional Federation of Journalists of Quebec (FPJQ) this weekend. While some insist on the need, as a journalist, to conceal one’s opinions in order to stay away from any appearance of conflict of interest, others believe that reporters all have biases and should be able to express themselves on subjects that touch.
“For me, journalists have to be impartial, whereas activists are not”, immediately launched the deputy editor at The Press, François Cardinal, invited by the FPJQ to take part in the panel on journalism and activism.
In his daily life, the ethical rules are clear: journalists cannot demonstrate to support a cause. They must refrain from disseminating their opinions and cannot be part of an interest group. Journalistic standards and practices shared by the majority of traditional media in Quebec.
Journalists thus avoid placing themselves in a situation of conflict of interest, or the appearance of a conflict of interest. They preserve their independence and demonstrate their desire to be as objective as possible, without judgment or bias. And this is crucial, according to Mr. Cardinal, so as not to “sow doubt” among readers and lose their confidence.
I don’t want a journalist with a sign shouting “solidarity”. […]. There is still a code of ethics to respect.
He takes the example of a journalist who would write on Twitter to support the Black Lives Matter movement. “One of the underlying issues of the movement is the funding of the police. If he has to cover a police press conference afterwards, what is his text worth? I’m not sure that we can achieve rigor, balance and neutrality so easily when we take a stand, regardless of the positions. »
An opinion that is far from being shared by Lela Savic, founder and editor-in-chief of the media The Conversewhich practices “dialogue journalism” primarily covering diverse topics and voices.
“On social networks, I don’t want [connaître] your political views. But on the issue of social justice, I will never penalize a journalist who says Black Lives Matter, or something else related to social justice that concerns him specifically, ”explains Lela Savic. However, she invites the members of her team to “not express themselves too much” on subjects they wish to cover.
She also does not see her medium as acting as activism — as some believe — by choosing to give a voice first and foremost to people from diverse backgrounds and marginalized communities.
“It’s rebalancing speech. It’s our duty as a journalist, it’s not activism,” she stresses, believing that these subjects and these voices are often absent from the traditional media.
On the other hand, she agrees with Mr. Cardinal regarding the presence of his journalists at a demonstration. “I don’t want a journalist with a sign shouting ‘solidarity’. […]. There is still a code of ethics to respect. »
“By demonstrating, you are not compromising your independence, but your appearance of neutrality”, nuance for his part the editor-in-chief of Pivot, Alexis Ross, who allows his team to demonstrate. According to him, this is not a problem for Pivot since it does not claim neutrality, openly displaying the defense of progressive causes or principles.
“We rely on transparency to regain public trust. I believe that there is no neutrality and that there never will be. Journalists all have biases, it’s part of our humanity. If we display our biases, it allows people to know where journalists stand and to read their texts with a critical eye. »
Its journalists can also express themselves freely on the Web as long as they do not openly support a political party or an interest group, Greenpeace for example. Nor should they be members of this type of interest group to which they might be beholden.
“Of course, I will not be comfortable with CBC/Radio-Canada, funded by our public funds, adopting the same practices,” he says.
New generation
If the FPJQ insisted on organizing this panel, it is because the question of the limits that should not be crossed in order not to fall into militancy arises more and more in newsrooms, journalism courses and even within the society.
Several young independent journalists and journalism students have also questioned the hard line of the traditional media on this subject. “Is it still activism not to want the Earth to burn under our feet, to want a future? What are you going to do with us? Because we come in the media and we are still very militant. Are you going to deprive yourself of talent? asked a journalism graduate from the Jonquière ATM.
It is the job of journalists to tell about climate change and its impact, replied Mr. Cardinal, but “for the rest, it is activists who must go to the front”.
He acknowledged having started this reflection with the youngest journalists of The Press, some of whom have “this desire to bring militancy into the profession”. “It leads to fascinating debates. […] it’s important to have these multiple sensitivities in the room as well. I want us to have this debate, if we talk too much about one subject and not another. »