I’ll admit, when I first saw the title, “Rita Skeeter and
Her Poison Pen,” my interest was based on the famous “Harry Potter” book
series. However, going to this seminar showed me an interesting way to look at
the fictional journalist and some of her not-so-ethical tactics of getting a story
and what J.K. Rowling had to go through when her books became best sellers.
Although
Rowling has stated that she supports the press and doesn't approve of a state
controlled media, she still wants her privacy. She has been hounded by the
press numerous times and have had them camp out outside her house simply
because it was, “a boring day at the office.” This relates to Rita Skeeter’s
journalism and how she violated Harry Potter’s privacy by spying on him and
making up lies about him.
This
seminar taught me some of the basic codes of journalism. These codes will not
only help me in a real-world journalism job, but also in life. When writing,
one needs to be accurate, relevant, and prevent harm. I feel like this is how
someone should act in all situations. It all reflects back to the Golden Rule:
Treat others the way you want to be treated. I don’t think a lot of people wish
to have their name spread across the country in a bad way, nor would anyone
want their children or loved ones to be. Privacy is important for everyone to
respect.
-Mollie Carter, ‘14
Editor-in-Chief
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