Something happened last Thursday that made me lose hope in Hong Kong journalism. I have long believed that our journalism ethics are eroding (deteriorating, getting worse). Last Thursday two of my good friends did something unethical (not morally correct) to me that proved journalism ethics are indeed eroding. Tai Pan Albert Cheng King-hon and Robert Chow Yung made me very depressed (sad, demoralized) by their unethical behaviour. Ethics are a set of moral principles. Journalism ethics mean the moral principles that journalists should follow. But sadly, Tai Pan and Chow Yung did not follow these principles. Their breach (violation, breaking) of journalism ethics put me in a very difficult position.
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ast Thursday Tai Pan's assistant called to say Tai Pan wanted to talk to me. When Tai Pan started talking, I realized I was on his internet radio show. I was shocked because neither he nor his assistant told me I would be on his show. Tai Pan apologized, but not telling me was a breach of journalistic ethics. Tai Pan asked for my reaction to Chow Yung's newspaper article that morning saying I was angry with Occupy Central leader Benny Tai Yiu-ting for comparing himself to Gandhi. I told Tai Pan I did not tell Chow Yung I was angry with Tai Yiu-ting. In fact, I had said to Chow Yung while he was on my TV show that Tai Yiu-ting told me on my TV show that he was not comparing himself to Gandhi.
After talking with Tai Pan I called Chow Yung. He said I had told him privately after I interviewed him that I was angry with Tai Yiu-ting. I told Chow Yung I did not say that, but even if I had said it, he should not have written about it. It is a breach of journalism ethics to write about a person's private comments without his permission. Tai Pan and Chow Yung are both veteran (very experienced) journalists. It is depressing that they breached journalism ethics. We are still good friends but, as an independent journalist, I need to make clear I won't take sides in the political fight between Chow Yung and Tai Yiu-ting.
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上星期四發生了些事，令我對香港的新聞業失去希望。我早已認為我們的新聞道德（journalism ethics）正在腐蝕中（eroding）。上星期四，我的兩位好友對我做了些不道德（unethical）的事，足證新聞道德（journalism ethics）實在淪落（eroding）。大班鄭經翰和周融的不道德（unethical）行為，令我非常沮喪（depressed）。Ethics即是道德。Journalism ethics就是新聞從業者應該恪守的道德原則。但可悲地，大班和周融都沒有遵守這些原則。他們違反（breach）新聞道德操守（journalism ethics），將我陷於非常艱難的處境。
上星期四，大班的助理來電，說大班想跟我談一談。當大班開始說話時，我方知悉我上了他的網上電台節目。我很震驚，因為他或他的助理都沒有告訴我，我會上他的節目。大班致歉，但沒有坦誠相告是違反（breach）了新聞道德（journalism ethics）。大班那個早上問我對周融那篇報紙文章的回應，周說我惱怒佔領中環領袖戴耀廷自比甘地。我跟大班說，我從沒有跟周融說我惱怒戴耀廷。事實上，當周融上我的電視節目時，我曾跟他說，戴耀廷在我的電視節目裏表明他沒有自比甘地。
跟大班談話後，我致電周融。他說我訪問他後，私下跟他說我惱怒戴耀廷。我跟周融說我並沒有這樣說，而即使我真的說過，他也不應寫出來。未得某人首肯便寫出他非公開的言論，就是違反（breach）新聞道德操守（journalism ethics）。大班和周融都是傳媒老兵（veteran），他們違反（breached）新聞道德操守（journalism ethics），實在教人很沮喪（depressing）。我們仍然是好友，但身為獨立新聞工作者，我得澄清，在周融與戴耀廷的政治鬥爭中我並不會偏袒任何一方。中譯：七刻
mickchug@gmail.com
Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
Source: http://news.hkheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=252022§ion_name=wtt&kw=126
