"I'm From the Media and I'm Here to Help" Frank Sesno, CNN correspondent came to SMU for the media ethics lecture and blew me out of the water. Sesno was one of the most articulate, comfortable, and intelligent speakers I have seen in a long time.

The speech consisted of a number of ethical examples (including that of the Duke Lacrosse team, and its media coverage) and challenged journalists to do a few things to improve the art.

“Our most fundamental challenge is to be true to the mission of journalism, not speculate or assert, and sustain focus on the topic at hand,” Senso said.

An interesting part of the speech was when Sesno referred to the Duke lacrosse case and the media coverage on it. He said, “When public officials speak out, that’s what journalists have to work with.” As angry as I was at the whole case, what Sesno said did, in fact make sense. If some public official were telling me some details, I would report them as well, I wouldn’t have questioned or at least not at first. What Sesno said to prevent this was rather interesting.

“Get over it! We need to realize this is the environment. We need to realize the language of live.”

I guess this is true. Since there is nothing we can do as journalists to know whether or not what the officials tells us is true, and we have 10 seconds to get it on the air, It would make sense to live with the understanding that that is the environment we are living in. There was so much more Sesno went into, but this was the part that really stuck with me.

Sesno really inspired me. I am so glad I had the opportunity to see him speak.  ¶ posted by Tyty at 5:13 PM •