of the technical operations unit. "washington journal" live ♪ this week on "q&a," a talk with participants on the campus of george mason university. they discuss ethics and morality in modern day journalism. >> tell me where you are from act and why you are here in washington, d.c. >> i am from minnesota. i am here to be part of the journalism conference to learn more about writing, politics, media, and how it is used to broadcast and all the things you can learn about other people to help us understand what we

can do it our careers in the future if we go to college. it is possible. >> where do you go to school? >> marshall high school. > > why did you come to this conference? how did you know about it? >> i received a letter of recommendation. it was about january or so. i will be having in novel published in about three years. i want to figure out if i'm doing everything i can to be the best writer i can. >> who is going to publish your novel? >> little brown publishing company. >> how did you get that? > > i've been writing since i was younger. my teacher read the first few chapters of the novel and said it needed to be published. he sent it to his associate who is now my current agent.

>> they have already accepted it. >> yes. >> when? >> after i have one semester of creative writing and colleges. >> why? >> in case i have the need to hold it. rewrite it. > > what is it about? > > it is about a young girl whose failing her journalism classes at college. she takes on the forbidden project interviewing the most important man in the country and falls in love with him. >> how old was she? >> 25. >> how old was he? >> 30. >> he cannot be president. >> well, there is no president. it takes place in the future. it takes place in 2031.

we don't have presidents at that time. >> we look forward to the novel. who else wants to tell us about this conference? where are you from? >> i am from missouri. >> why did you come to this? >> i wanted to learn more about my career. i want to make contacts. this way i can get where i want to go. >> where? >> i want to be a sports broadcaster behind the scenes, mostly behind the camera. i want to maybe be a production assistant or producer or director of working at espn or something of that sort. >> why do you want to work at espn?

>> i love sports and to be around sports. i love to watch the action happen. i love when action unfolds. thank you. >> this group is from 35 different states, all seniors in high school. we have somebody from guam. who else wants to talk about this conference and what is about and why you are here? there is a young lady in the back. do give her the opportunity to take the microphone. >> i'm in a wheelchair. i cannot stand. >> stay where you are then. >> i attend the regional high school. at the conference, what i have

learned is that you have to strive for what you can do and what you want to do and to make connections now. >> what is your dream? >> i want to be a photojournalist. i do not want to go to a different country. i want to stay in the united states and take a local, more community-based photojournalism and go from there. >> how much of that do you do now? >> i am in a graphics program at my school. i go half to school and half in the graphics program. we use cameras every day. >> can we see your work on the web? >> i have most of my work on my computer. i have some of my personal --

some on my perossonal computer and some on tumblr. i love it. i am getting a new camera this year. i cannot wait. >> tell us how to find it. what is your name? >> brianna correa. > > who else? >> my name is jordon representing green valley high school. i have been so honored to attend this conference. we were all nominated in january by a teacher. i feel like this has been wonderful as a way to get our voices heard and develop our skill sets and learn how to develop our personal brand.

>> why do what your voice heard? >> i love journalism. i'm interested in perhaps a political career. not my formal announcement by any means. i'm interested in some of those lines. >> do you like journalism our government more? >> that is so difficult. i think they're actually hand in hand right now. i feel like someone who is in the government i need to have a journalism background and a communication background and how to can effectively communicate with their consituents and their personal brand. as well as their idea for legislation and getting their voices heard. >> who do you most american politics? -- most admire in politics? >> my goodness gracious. i served in the senate last

summer. i admired a lot of the signatures that were up and coming. i had my eye on a particular republican, rep michele bachmann. >> were you a page? >> yes. > > here in town? > > yes. > > who else? >> what is your name? what is your name? >> joe west. i got the nomination in january. i always like journalism. i thought this of be a really good opportunity to learn some more. i learned that journalism may not be the best major to get into. >> why not? >> i do not know. i've heard that three or four times this week from the different speakers. they did not detail its.

it. i do not know. >> i am anxious to find out from some of the others about journalism if you have an attitude about it. i have something here i would you involved in. where are you from? >> from georgia. what he said about being told that journalism may not be the best major to have. it is really better to find a major about something you're so you passionate about say yo can specialize in that and you can become known for knowing your details and what you're talking about. anybody can come up to into and say what is your name,

write it down. for you to be able to -- if you major in history -- for you to be able to write about a certain event in another country. you know the history of that country and what has been going on. you're able to bring more detail and interest to a story that way. >> you have one year left in high school. where will you go to college? >> i'm planning on applying to mercer in georgia. >> what will you major in? >> i am either looking to major in communications and broadcast or history. doi've always wanted to this. it is a discussion i want to get into you on journalism. if you go to the national press club and the 13th floor, have you been there? how many in this room, you were there yesterday, noticed the

journalism creed that is right before you get on the elevator? you did. did you read it? i've got it here, the words. i want you to respond to the definition of journalism as it is on the wall. it was written in the early 1900's by a man that went to be on to be the president of the university of missouri. anybody here from missouri? he did not even have a college degree. he ran the journalism school. they still have this on the wall. journalism the

creed. i will read this. we can get the microphone to this young lady. here is what is starting the same. i believe in the profession of journalism. where do you believe or disagree? this was written back in the 1900's. think of it. no television. certainly no iphone or facebook. i believed in journalism. walter williams was his name. he is deceased. i believe that the public journal is a public trust that all connected with it are to the full measure of responsibility, trustees for the public comment that all acceptance of lesser service than the public service is a betrayal of that trust. i believe a journalist should write only a right what he holds in his heart to be true.

that is a start. there is more. tell us all what you think. >> i am from portland, maine. i think most of those ideals still uphold. hold. they were saying that the duty procedures to the people. -- i can't think of the word. >> they're trying to get their opinions told? it has been taken to more. >> are you sure it is more? >> i am not sure. i did not read the newspapers back then.

>> there is a story about the spanish-american war and now a newspaper man got as involved in that. creating the drama and the excitement. think about what this man is saying and whether or not the press club should have this up there. and going back to you for just a second. why did you read that? >> it is the journalist's creed and i want to be journalists. the ideals are very good. >> this was written in 1906. walter williams also said suppresion of the news for any consideration other thant the

welfare of society is repre indefensible. you hear about people writing books. they hold information for nine or 12 months. they believe the suppression of the news is indefensible. who else wants to react? >> i am from virginia. what i have learned is that journalism is the art of telling, telling the story of current events and the past, present, and the future. the true meaning of journalism is to give the facts. we are struggling in this modern time focusing on the facts. that is the hardest thing.

> > when you wake up, do you watch the news? > > i watch the "today show." >> if you want the best journalism at the start of the day, where would you go? >> if i'm looking for local stories, i would go to the newspaper. it was looking for if i am looking for international stores, our stories, i probably would go to

the "new york times." >> what do you want to do? >> i'm interested in international correspondent work. >> are we now in a better position for someone like you to find a job down the road are are we in a worse position than when i was your age? >> in my opinion, we are in a better place. the opportunities people have to travel, we have heard so many stories. hoda, we heard her speak. here to speak. she is a journalist. she did a lot of work. i learned a lot from her. when she was first a journalist, she got turned down 27 times. that is before someone finally gave her a job, i think. that is a perfect example of how we have opportunities that we can go and find. there are some different news places and websites. >> thank you.

let me read some more. this is the journalist's creed from 1906, walter williams. >> no. i believe no one should not write as a journalist what he would not say as a gentleman. bribery by one's own pocketbook is as much to be avoided as bribery by the talk about of another. what do you think about this? this business about pocketbood? where youd

are from? >> i am from florida. >> what do you think of this? >> you cannot put false information into the public. it is your job to bring the truth out to the american people. like, that is your job. today,journalist to see todayoe are they worried more about their own pocketbooks than the news? >> from what i watch, not really. they put their opinions out there. i do not think that reporters could bribe all that much. bribed all that much.

>> it sounds to me like it may be how much they're paid by their news organizations in order to do their job. we have had one journalist that make $50 million a year. would you rather have the money, the truth, or both? >> i'm from pennsylvania. preparing myself for the t very small salary that i will be starting out with. i'm pretty sure everyone knows a journalist and not make a lot make much money when there for searching out. most journalists should be aware of that. there's some jobs that will make more money. for the people that want that money, they need to find the other jobs. journalists need a passion for what they do. it is done about the money.

-- it is not about the money. it is about the work and the truth and the facts. a lot of times, people get caught up in all of that stuff. >> where do you go for your news and information? >> my dream is to work at the "new york times." i read that a lot. i also remind local newspaper. that affects me. >> are you going to college in? >> yes. i do not know where yet. i will be applying some. --soon. hopefully, a big city. >> what you want to study? >> international relations and government/politics. >> are you 17? what is your dream job right now? >> my dream job is to be an international correspondent for the "new york times." >> there are not many spot left. --spots left. >> there are not but i can get one.

>> there you go. [applause] i believe that advertising news and editorial columns should like to serve the best interests of readers. a single standard of helpful truth and cleanest should prevail for all. that supreme test of good journalism is the measure of its public service. you've been listening to a lot of people this week. tell us who you are and where you are from. >> i am from oklahoma city. i believe that the most impact ful will journalism is impactful journalism is jou

rnalism that is honest and earnest. hoda made a great impact. i have not heard of for before. she commanded the room. everyone was silent and paying attention. she is coming from a really sincere place. she fell 27 times. failed 27 times. it is not an easy story to hear. everyone wants to graduate college and get a job. >> why you think she was telling you the truth? why do you think she was sincere? >> she went to virginia tech.

-- she went to virginia tech. working look around problems or setbacks is really the only way to success. >> who do you watch or read that you admire? beside hoda?>> i want to be music journalist. i read a lot of "spin." "rolling stone.: " i admire their style of writing. >> it says that good journalism is the measure of a public service. do you think public service has anything to do with journalism? anybody? back here in the back. >> i am from virginia.

the purpose of journalism is to tell the truth. i would like to impact people. >> how do you know what is the truth? >> you should be able trust your journalists. if i believe what i am reading is the truth and later i hear it is not the truth, i lose all respect for that reporter. a person's integrity in journalism is the most important aspect of their career. >> a number of places have become very opinionated. you know they will have people from other sides. i won't name them. everybody gets upset when it tried to categorize them. is that good or bad? >> i do not think it is a good thing. opinion is good only when it is strictly written as opinion. it is interesting to read editorials. the importance of journalism is to hear what is happening in the world and the truth. there's no other place that people will get that information

besides from journalist here that is our responsibility. >> the most successful network in the united states makes more money than anyone else and has trong, opinionated base tose it. most people will agree with that when they're not in front of a microphone. they can make lots of money being opinionated. >> we heard a speaker called jonathan martin. he mentioned should we tell the people what they want to hear or what they need to hear? in that case, it is using people and manipulating people, and audience, to play on their emotions by using a strong opinion to get them to agree with you. we need to give citizens the truth. we need to tell them the information they need to know.

>> the word i hear from all of you is "truth." what about this microphone? what about this public service thing? is that important? >> public service is a big part of it. journalism has been described as the fourth branch of government. the government was set up by the people and for the people. we write for people. the public cannot exist without journalism. >> it is not a business? >> in a way it is a service.

> > what do you want to be part of government? >> no. >> and has such a broad such a broad spectrum from entertainment to politics. on one channel people are talking about the elections and on another they're talking about what angelina jolie wore today. >> where would you go to get your information? >> cnn. i find what they put out is the most truthful. >> you have to trust them. and you trust them?

> > you have to go with your gut. you have to trust them. >> are you going to go to the university of missouri? >> yes. he had this to run new station. run news station. you get firsthand experience. you are ahead of the game. >> can you tell us your name? >> my name as sean. >> what about mr. williams here? he used to be the dean of the business school. he said you should not be feeding more money into your own pocket.

spoke about accuracy and fairness. do we get that today? >> one network i do not trust at all. they are so biased. all networks are. this one is specially. >> isn't it better you know what their bias is then slipping it in on you? >> i guess. > > what are you not politically on their side? >> it is not that. >> the news they cover or the opinions they give? can you sift through the difference? how do you get your news? >> cnn. >> you are happy with cnn. >> you have to go with your instincts.

really know if they're telling the truth. >> if you had to choose, i was going to ask you what network you had to go to. how many of you would choose cnn? how many of you would tune in to fox news? how many of you would tune in to msnbc? anybody else would go to another place? you would go to bbc. tell us your name and where you are from. >> i am from louisiana. i would turn to the bbc for my news. i feel like when the bbc talks about things, they give it to you straight. he cannot really tell if they --

you cannot really tell if they have bias. maybe it is the accent and everyone sounds the same. i like my news straight. bbc comes on in the morning. i watch it before i go to school. >> have you ever seen jeremy paxton? it looks like he is a tall guy. i've never seen anyone more in- your-face than him. >> i listened to its. t. >> to the world service? >> yes. >> how do you know they are telling you the real thing? >> there's a difference between truth and fact. something that is the truth is not necessarily fact. >> how do you know if your listing to the bbc? >> you can never be sure unless go and talk to the people

yourself. you're interviewing. >> what do you want to do? >> i would dearly love to be in politics. >> not journalism? >> i love journalism. >> who do you idolize? >> i do not idolize anybody. i respect them. someone. >> my rep. i feel like he is doing really well for our community. he works for the people. >> do you think there are any representatives to do not work for the people? >> i feel like some of them might have another agenda they do not speak of. >> what would that be? >> for themselves. i am not sure. i do not know personally. >> if you have an agenda, why do they get reelected? >> good campaigning. there is some an office i do not agree with. they have an alternative agenda.

that is beside working for their people. >> who else other hand up? you can get that microphone. >> i would like to go back to what you're saying before, how is it a good thing or a bad thing that a lot of stations are becoming more opinionated. i believe that is a good thing. some people will watch it and they know this is not what i believe. if they do not agree, they can watch a new station that they do agree with. you do not have a problem of getting mixed up and then people do not know what to think. >> do you ever go to bookstores? >> yes. >> if you go into a big one, there are 120,000 titles. do you ever go in and say, why are all these books biased? >> i do not understand.

>> everybody worries about bias on television. same forot do thesame fo bookstores. say it's a shame they have all these opinions. >> there are books. you can sit through what you read and do not want to read. >> if you do not want to watch something, you can change the channel. >> you can pick up a book and know what it is about. you watch a television show and there's so much going on. feebler saying different things. people saying different things. messages get mixed up. i think that is a lot of the problem. people do not really know what they are listening to are

watching. >> do you know more about someone that is reading a book or on television that ? > > personally, i think you can clearly make out what someone is trying to say in writing. >> should there be a different standard for television, radio, and newspapers? >> i do not really know. >> we have a few hands up. >> i am from virginia beach. feel like editorials do haveav their place. i do feel like editorials have their place but it compromises the integrity. --

>> what station do you watch? >> i personally what fox. >> i suspect this gentleman does not like box. fox. >> am socially conservative. i am fiscally conservative also. >> i do not believe up with a bias in the media. >> you don't? >> there is nothing else to watch. >> where can you find no bias in the media? >> i cannot. place can't find a where ithere is no bias in the

media, then what difference does it make? > > i think there should be a place where you can go to just get the facts. >> are you willing to take time to read and watched the speech in its entirety? >> share. >> how often? >> there are so many easy ways. you can go to youtube and fast forward. >> you do not want to watch the whole thing. i'm confused. lady talk to this young down here. >> i think that's bias has become so popular because it is easier. if you just give them the facts, they do not have time. if you tell them what to think, and they listen and believe. >> what do you do when you want to the news? just the news? >> i have not found it i there yet. >> do you think you will? >> maybe in the future. maybe some of us will learn from this experience and will

grow up to be unbiased journalists. > > what do you think about the definition i've been reading about journalism? > > i think it is very idealistic. it is something we should strive to do but have not achieved. >> i have one more paragraph. there's something in this paragraph. i want your reaction to it. see if you can figure out what it is. did you read this before? i believe journalism.

>> who think they heard something in here that might have surprised them? let me hand it to him. tell us your name. >> i am from nebraska. the word that popped in my head

when i heard that was "discipline." he had to put aside the bias and report what is really real. >> where are you going? >> i want to be a journalist and work with social media and communications. it is opening the world and allowing us to share stories. >> you do not want to go through all the filters? >> not entirely. with social media, it is more factual and true. >> social media is more factual and true. how do you know? >> it is row people telling real facts. >> why do real people tell real facts and journalists don't? >> they do not have as many people watching them. there are not as many people that would criticize them. >> some people can say whatever they want. it is not a problem.

>> does someone have an opinion on this paragraph? we have not talked to you yet. what did you hear what struck you that might be controversial? >> where are you from? >> new jersey. >> was struck me most was the fact that it says that it would be the media not influenced by any outside opinion or personal opinions. today's media is. there is another part that said it would be swayed by the mob. today's media is swayed. people are bribed and twist things. >> how do you know? >> there is a lot out there. >> what is your sense of ideal good journalism? what is one institution would you say has the best journalism?

>> to put the facts first and put your opinion later. but some wanted to hear the straight facts they could hear it. yourey don't want to hear opinion, they don't have to hear it. >> a newspaper would tell you the facts are on the front page and opinions are inside. you have not gone into the thing that i thought would trigger your interest. let us get to someone who has not spoken. if their actual journalist better in the room that were working in a profession, [unintelligible] >> i'm from michigan. i think bias is human.

we all have very specific opinions as you can see in this room. facts are unemotional. the reason people like fox news is because it is an experience, love, andn, it's hate. when you see an article with facts, it is drier. that is why so many newspapers are failing. >> they're just giving the facts? >> yes. i consider the best journalism, i want to work with national geographic. >> that is not a bad goal. >> the journalism i read is an experience. it is a story. it is a human. human. people want to hear love and compassion and people getting saved or hurt.

that is what people can relate to. you want media that gives you the truth. >> there is that word truth again. >> anyone else figure out what anyone else figure out what i was citing? the lady in the polka dots. >> i'm from texas. it said something about not fearing god. >> that is what i was saying. >> people want to hear stories about love and that are moving. however, in journalism, if you want to report in just the facts, you cannot fear god. you have to keep all emotions outside of it. >> this man went on to be the president of the university of missouri. they put it on the wall a few years ago.

do you think the press club said we need a new definition of journalism, with that line make it? -- would that line make it? let me read it again. i believe the best deserves success, fears god, and honors man. how do you think that would read today? would you fear anybody? >> not really. >> would you honor man? >> probably not. honor man today. > > would this statement apply

in this room? > > probably not. >> why? >> this room is filled with 150 journalism students. maybe one out of 15 is a man. >> may be in terms of the word man, would you replace it with person? >> i am asking you. > > i thought it was like mankind. >> we have people in the back. give it to this young lady here. tell us where you are from. >> i am from arizona. the one thing i thought about is what real journalism is meant to be, passion. you have to have a passion to go forward with the hard stories that people do not want to hear. you have to have the passion to be the best. >> is a passion more important than truth? > > i believe you can have

both. a hard way to describe it.ribis >> what is the process of thinking? let me ask you this. today, if you as a group had to write a definition of journalism, would you put the word god in it? >> i would personally. >> how many of you in this remote would keep the mention room would keep the word and mention of god in a definition? how many would not? why don't you pass the microphone to this young lady? >> i am from orange county.

> why not? >> i do not believe that god should take a part of what we newspaper or print or owrite in report. >> what has changed since 1906 that makes you think you would not to do this? hold off. we will get the microphone to that young lady. you are all young. >> the mention of god or religion can offend several people. that is why journalism is so controversial. people are so worried about offending other people. sometimes they sensor what they put out. not everything is going out. >> we're running out of time.

i want to make sure we get to as many people as possible. richard, find someone back there very quickly. i want the audience that is watching at home. if they can get this journalist creed on the internet, they just have to type and walter williams. jouranlist creed. it comes up. you can ask yourself the same questions. >> i'm from virginia. i think journalism in its pure form is telling the truth. it is telling the truth, straight facts. in its purest form, come what may come i'm going to tell the truth. let people make their own decisions. >> when do you trust a journalist? >> can you name it?

can you onamname it? >> i think you have to go with your gut and listen to different networks and different sources and say i think this source has a little more opinions than this one and judge it for yourself. each person has to decide which source they will bring on their own. >> we need to get as many people as possible. >> i am from pennsylvania. what stood out most to me it was the word "respect." it is the duty of the journalist to pay the story be story the respect it deserves. to not leave opinion out. do not overly glamorize it or denounce what you're reporting on.

>> wouldn't walter williams like to know where talking about him 100 years later? >> i am from illinois. people are saying they will believe whatever network agrees with their truth. if you really want to find what is really the truth, you need to look to people with different opinions as well as people with their own opinion. > > quite how much of that do how much of that do you do? >> i tried to do that as much as i can. i listened to news from different stations even if i do not agree with the opinion that they do have. maybe they are right and maybe i am not. >> if i saw you from 10 years, what would you be doing? >> ideally, international

journalism of some kind. i'm also interested in the different platforms of social media journalism. i know that will be really growing in the next couple of years. >> does anyone else have a microphone? we can get about five minutes left. >> i'm from new york. going back to god and the paragraph, i do not think god should be mentioned they're up in journalism. mentioned in journalism. i grew up in a household where god is a sensitive subject because my parents had different views. it has changed a lot from when it was written. i do not think that you need to include god. journalism reaches everybody. everybody has a different opinion. >> he is saying to fear it as you do your work. >> to some people that does not

mean anything. i'm not saying that is how i feel. for some people, you're saying fear him and it does not mean anything. it is not an accurate representation of all journalists. >> i'm from north carolina. i believe good journalism must have the passion. after the passion, the truth comes. opinion is not necessary to have an accurate story. you have to know how to pick your words in a way of facts so the public can form an opinion. that is where the passion comes. that is how the truth follows. >> what would you do in 10 years? >> i want to travel the world and tell stories. i believe that journalism is giving a voice to those who have been silenced. the news is probably the way to

get there. i will probably major in broadcast journalism. >> our opinions give human aspects to the whole nature of journalism. in relation to the idea of putting got into the definition, we have freedom of religion. it can be disrespectful to groups to have to face journalism and research and pieces of news that have to hear opinions that are so opinionated. >> thank you. >> i am from huntington beach, california.

it was written 100 years ago. so many things had changed. the fear of god and man and the whole religion thing. most of this conference is women. having an opinion and being biased is important. people are saying to the state the facts, but if it was just the facts, it would just be the same. having different opinions and having people put their on flavor into their writing, it opens up a new way of thinking for yourself. you can take the gist of the story and make a judgment for yourself.

it is really interesting to listen to other people's opinions and look at it from their perspective. >> thank you. that went pretty fast. this is the third year of all of this. the washington journalism and media conference. why don't you give yourself a big hand and we will say goodbye. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] ♪ ♪ for a dvd, 18776262. for free transcripts, visit us at q-and-a.org.

>> tonight, david camerformer gy of the race.d out the

grex we needed to get some lift to continue on and have a pathway for. that did not happen. i am announcing this morning on your show that i will be in my campaign for president. i am very grateful for the people of iowa, and this country, that i had a chance to make my case to. i am really appreciative of all of them. i wish it were different. we are going to end the campaign. >> what do you think went wrong? you have a lot of organizations and had some money at one point. why couldn't you sell it? >> there are a lot of factors that go into a successful campaign. we had some success in raising money, but we needed to continue that and hit the benchmark. we did not. there are a lot of other choices inhe