"Media Hype" video questions

1.) I think that it is ethical to alter a photo or video when it could unnecessarily harm a person's reputation. For example, if a particular photo was risqué without the person's intention to act this way, I believe that a news source should have the decency to crop or blur this portion of the image. It would be unethical to frame a story about someone by catching them doing something accidental or unintentional. Any person would want a video or photo of themselves altered if their intentions and actions were pure. Although it may be hard to judge the situation or a persons motives, it is still the medias responsibility to take this into consideration and not harm a person's image carelessly.

2.) I believe that the news should make it their priority to inform rather than entertain, so to speak. Too many news stations have gotten in the habit of stretching facts or stories simply to gain peoples attention. I think that each news station should work more closely at the stories they are relaying and double-check for their accuracy. Although viewers may tune-in to a 'entertaining' news station more frequently at first, I do believe that truth does have a way of proving itself overtime. The longer that a news station does its best to remain credible and truthful, more people will begin to catch on to this.

3.) I think that this limits the ability for a journalists point of view or the truth of a story to be expressed. It is a tricky situation for journalists because it puts them in two difficult situations. Firstly, a journalist must now choose who he/she wants to side with and what incentives each party can bring to the table. This automatically leads the chance for wrong motives. Secondly, the journalist may risk upsetting a PR firm or lobbyist for the chance at writing a story he/she desires. 

4.) I think that so many news stations fall for fake stories because they simply want to believe in them, regardless of if they have an instinct that the story is far from accurate. News stations feel the constant obligation to always have some new and interesting fact to report. Since reporting to the public is their primary job, many news stations will purposely choose to look past the obvious in order to have a new breaking story. I think that news sources on the internet are less likely to fall under this pressure because they do not appeal to the entertainment portion of media. Television has a way of applying pressure to entertain, whereas the internet does not. This simple difference is exactly why I cannot see the internet to be likely to cover fake stories.