Trust is the foundation of journalism, and as a student journalist, I rely on media law, ethical principles, and news literacy to guide my work. Throughout my time at Ka Leo, I have looked up to journalist peers and professionals I met along the way who upheld their integrity and truth in the pieces they did, which showed me the importance of meaningful reporting.
Law
Understanding media law is essential to protecting your rights as a student journalist. Through resources such as the Student Press Law Center, I learned more about how the First Amendment guarantees freedoms of speech and press, which allows students to legally report on stories, express opinions, and hold schools accountable. The Student Press Law Center also taught me important terms such as prior review (when school administration asks to review media to approve it before it's published), prior restraint (when school administration blocks, prevents, or forces changes before the media is published), censorship (when people in power suppress student speech because they disagree with the media), and how these apply to school journalism. At Ka Leo, I have applied these laws in the newsroom, making sure articles respect legal, as well as ethical standards, and make sure to express to new student journalists the importance of verifying their sources, protecting others' privacy, and reporting responsibly on school topics.
Ethics
Ethics guide my work as a journalist across all forms of media at Ka Leo (writing, photography, videography, audio) to assist me as I create accurate and responsible journalism, and since I am a multi-platform journalist, I look beyond just one code of ethics, using many to understand each expectation for different media. I use organizations' ethical standards, such as the Radio Television Digital News Association (which focuses on accuracy and truth in radio television), the National Press Photographers Association (which focuses on not manipulating photos, and being comprehensive in photography), and the Society of Professional Journalists (which focuses on seeking the truth, and reporting it as a writer), to get a well-rounded perspective on all the ethics of different forms of media used at Ka Leo. When assisting journalists in the newsroom, I make sure to bring ethical questions into the discussion, such as “Is this fair?” or “Could this piece harm someone involved or uplift them?”, especially before hitting publish.
News Literacy
News literacy plays a key role in being a responsible journalist, as well as a better-informed community. To better understand the importance of news literacy, looking at the News Literacy Project's five standards not only gave me a better idea of my personal responsibilities, but also what to teach new staff reporters. I have developed skills such as evaluating credibility, recognizing misinformation, and distinguishing between fact and opinion. In the Ka Leo newsroom, we do an exercise called “Media Minutes”, where students find an article from an international, national, or local news source that resonates with them, then share what they learned. This activity helps them think critically about news, connect stories to real life, and improve their communication skills in the newsroom. By doing this activity, we practice responsible reporting practices and encourage students to take the information they learn and turn it into a lesson.
