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Editorial integrity will save news organisations from 'electronic mob rule', says Reuters' multimedia head

Traditional and citizen journalists, who use the internet to strengthen their message by distorting information, are threatening the editorial integrity of journalism, Chris Cramer, Reuters' global editor of multimedia for news, warned in a speech last night.

News organisations must distinguish themselves from the 'electronic mob rule' with 'over-arching principles' of trust and integrity, said Cramer in the address to Nottingham Trent University, according to a transcript of the speech seen by Journalism.co.uk.

But these values have been challenged by the rise of affordable technology and self-publishing online, which has caused an identity crisis for many traditional media outlets, he added.

"We are living in a fragmented and confusing world, a world of so many information options that our level of trust in conventional, traditional media providers is probably at an all-time low," said Cramer.

"In fact, there is a strong, prevailing belief that the traditional media, has had its day, gradually becoming irrelevant.

"Much of it, print and broadcast, is thrashing about in an identity crisis trying to rediscover its connection point with the consumer. Experimenting with reality TV, raucous news delivery, opinionated ranting - what I call shout and scream TV news - where every story is a crisis, every day is chaos."

While not objecting to opinionated news when labelled correctly, Cramer said such coverage, 'where there is little or no distinction between a terrorist attack and a fat cat stuck up a tree somewhere', represents a distortion of the reality of news exacerbated by online technologies and citizen journalism.

"If the outcome is profound enough why be hidebound by any ethical considerations? Doesn't the effect outweigh the methods?" he asked.

"Is it acceptable for environmental campaigners, producing say user-generated content and posting it on Youtube, to provide just a few misleading facts to make their point just a little stronger?

Referencing the recent BBC case involving Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand and the Rocky Mountain News' use of a reporter 'twittering' a funeral, Cramer said advances in information technology are threatening journalistic principles of taste, decency and balanced reporting.

Describing his employer, Cramer said trust and editorial integrity were part of both Reuters' journalism and its commercial model.

"You can't boast about editorial integrity. It is not a marketing ploy or a t-shirt slogan (...) It is demonstrable and it is in the past tense. You can't promise integrity without being able to point at something you have done," he said.

"News organisations have a huge responsibility to represent all sides, all religions, all persuasions. We should speak for all sides, fairly, honestly and with balance. No one or no cause should get an easy ride from us."

The full transcript of Cramer's speech can be read on our blog.

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