Journalists and their personal blogs: freedom of speech or career suicide?

Blogs are the new resumes. Sometimes, we don't want it to be a resume, yet it's inevitable to stop someone from searching every media outlet that you are linked to. I started thinking about how journalists are in a fine grey area when it comes to blogs. We have the freedom to write whatever that may be on our minds, but as a professional, we place a censorship on ourselves. People are human beings and sometimes we write things that can be controversial or opinionated. Therefore how far can journalists go without having their personal blog affect their career?


CNN producer was fired for blogging (as a hobby) of contents about the media, Oprah Winfrey, etc. The blog went viral where CNN did not like the unwanted attention therefore letting Chez Pazienza go.Do you think journalists have an "unwritten" censorship about what they write online?

Article: Murky Boundaries by Kevin Rector

Asian Journalism Ethics

Found an interesting breakdown of journalism ethics in Asia.While many journalists follow similar codes of ethics such as telling the truth, not discriminating, etc. some Asian countries consider other factors to be just as important.

Cambodia
Protect women, children and the disabled
Give special consideration to women, children and the disabled.


Taiwan
A journalist shall not take up another job which conflicts with his profession, or engage in such fields, and shall avoid assignments which are connected with his own interests.

A journalist shall not join any political party or take up public office, nor shall he take part in election campaigns. He shall quit his job if he decides to seek election for public office.


Bangladesh 
Newspapers and journalists have the right to express their views strongly on controversial issues but in doing so:

a. All true events and views must be expressed clearly.
b. No event shall be distorted in order to influence the readers.
c. No news shall be distorted or slanted dishonestly either in the main comment or in the headline.
d. Views on major news shall be presented clearly and honestly.

Islam
To refrain from either broadcasting or publishing anything that goes against public morality and the rules of decent demeanour. This also means any condoning of crime, violence, suicide or anything that arouses terror or provokes lower instincts, whether directly or indirectly, should be strictly avoided.

website:  Journalism Code of Ethics in Asia

"Citizen" Journalism

I came across an article with the term "citizen" journalism. To my knowledge, citizen journalism is when a journalist can actively make a contribution to society by reporting, analyzing, and writing articles through blogs, etc. With the number of natural disasters, the number of citizen journalists are increasing. What are the ethics to this underlying form of new journalism?

Citizen journalism allows eyewitnesses to take photos and send the message out to the public possibly before the news can cover them. Although there's the rule of the freedom of speech, many under estimate the ethics being a "citizen journalist"since most contents can be found on youtube or blogs, etc.Without a journalism background, many are unaware of what can and what can not be said. The backbone of news is to inform the public of the truth. No if, buts just because its on a personal blog.



Article - "Are Ethics Missing in Citizen Journalism"
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/221308/are_ethics_missing_in_citizen_journalism.html?cat=9