As issues surrounding freedom of speech rights continue to be debated at UCSD, Student Organizations and Leadership Opportunities held a seminar titled “”Do we need freedom of the press?”” at the Price Center on Nov. 4. The hour-long seminar was part of S.O.L.O.’s Passport to Leadership program.
Guardian
The annual seminar discussing freedom of speech touched on the the First Amendment, and more specifically, how the right to free speech relates to the ethics of journalism.
Joined by a group of about 20 students, discussion leader and local journalist Kate Callin began her presentation by proposing four scenarios that dealt with topics ranging from the pressure to sensationalize news stories to attract readers to the abuse of power by media agencies.
Students offered their opinions and discussed with one another the different arguments that surround the issue of free speech, and when it was and was not appropriate to sacrifice the truth. She also offered personal examples and situations that she herself experienced as a journalist.
Callin spoke to students about her involvement in a media ethics watchdog group called the Society of Professional Journalists. SPJ has a few San Diego branches, including one at San Diego State University, prompting Callin to express her wishes to begin a student chapter of SPJ at UCSD with the help of students. She explained that it would enable students to discuss freedom of speech and its relationship to the UCSD Principles of Community in open forums and internal debates.
The seminar comes at a particularly relevant time for the campus community. Recent debates on free speech have brought the issue to the limelight, specifically concerning the rights of such organizations as The Koala and the Che Cafe.
The Koala drew fire last year for content that some student groups found racist or offensive. The Che Cafe has run into problems with the UCSD administration for hosting material on the Web that allegedly promotes what the FBI has deemed “”terrorist”” organizations.
“”The power that media has is enormous,”” Callin said. “”You can ruin people’s lives or make small businesses into thriving companies.””
Callin talked about instances in which a single article helped to significantly expand a small business, attracting both customers and investors.
Doreen Toomalatai, a sophomore at Thurgood Marshall College, attended the seminar to get more information about the press and media.
“”You’ve got all the extremes here,”” Toomalatai said of the publications on campus. “”The Guardian is pretty neutral, than you have others like The California Review.””
With regards to the First Amendment issues that The Koala raises, Eleanor Roosevelt College junior Chris Hiestand said the S.O.L.O. seminar offered some insight on the subject.
“”I think the freedom of speech is very important,”” Hiestand said. “”If someone is printing a bad paper, then [the input of] A.S. doesn’t matter because their readers will decrease.””
Callin ended her remarks by saying that the power journalists possess can often times have negative results.
“”That kind of power can go to your head,”” she said. “”Especially when the First Amendment doesn’t put any restrictions on you.””
Another seminar is expected to be held on the same topic next year, and information on SPJ can be accessed through the S.O.L.O. program.
