Dateline: Bum on a bike, or is it the quest of a vagabound? "Larry, we hope you made it safely."

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• published: 24 Dec 2011
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RIDING ON A VAGABOND QUEST: A reflection of an introduction to media ethics by Richard Courchesne. In the heat of a triple-digit summer day while sitting among my fellow squatters enjoying the coolness of an air-conditioning wireless Internet-coffee shop in San Antonio, a man approaches the table. Introducing himself as Larry, the middle-aged man began to tell a tale of being on a trek, riding his bicycle from city to city across the country. His story appears interesting, compelling and possibly newsworthy. Searching for signs that resemble patterns of the Ralph B. Potter Box model of reasoning, I decidedly perform the process description in conducting a moral analysis of a present ethical situation. Investigation of the analysis began by attempting to define the situation by gathering facts. The authors of Media Ethics indicate after assembling all the information about any given situation, it is an ethical obligation to consider the adverse cultural and historical aspects of the story, before publishing using pre-conceived bias judgment-based values of personal principles and ideology of loyalties. Ideally, journalist first allegiance is to the public, then society and organization, but mostly they must remain loyal to truth. Was he who he claimed to be? Was there any validity to his story? I couldn’t find any reason he might lie. Meet Larry, a 40 plus year old, 6-foot plus, Anglo-American with light colored eyes and hair, who after hours of observations and communication never clearly reveals the reason he’s attempting such a dangerous adventure. I can only personally make presumptions basing on his determination, consistency, and spontaneity. However, journalists and the Potter Box work solely with provable facts, before assigning bias judgment based on one of the 5-principles from the greatest philosophers in time. Examination of the 5-principles the authors describes and establishes that the ideologies of Aristotle, Confucius, Immanuel Kant, John Rawls and John Stuart Mill are merely guidelines to ethical resolve. Larry’s story is compelling because if he successfully completes the trip, it illustrates that hard work, endurance and stamina of a middle-aged American man pays-off. It was Saturday, September the 3rd and the 40 to 59-year old cyclists was present when I arrived with my camera that late afternoon. My 2005 professional first generation high-definition (HD) camera must have intimidated the man, fearing something about recording on-camera. Being a resourceful journalist, I convinced Larry to allow me to use my I-phone film camera to record the interview, and then ask him to tell his story. After making the I-phone recording, I showed the footage to Larry. While he didn’t have any problem with what he said on the recording, he asks not to post any footage on the Internet until the end of his journey. Before continuing with the interview using a professional camera, Larry wanted to postpone the interview once again in order to prepare his thoughts (rehearse) overnight. He agreed to meet at the coffee shop at 5:30 Sunday morning. Although the probability of success is only one possible outcome, out of many more not so successful outcomes, the story is in the attempt. Imagine the anecdotes of calamity the story could provide as the adventure survives disasters and mishaps, possibly ending in Larry’s demise. People usually have a reason for telling a story to a journalist, mostly in an act of hubris for notoriety or agenda exposure rather than altruistic causes. Larry’s reason remains vague. Was I obligated to make this meeting? I intentionally set my alarm for 5 in the morning, but was not motivated to get up and conduct an interview I should have had the day before. I choose not to go. My excuse for not attending his sendoff was rationalized after realizing I already have a recording from the 2nd appointment, I felt no obligation to meet Larry due to his inability and indecision to participate. This is not how journalism works. Larry’s first excuse was, let’s wait to do this tomorrow, and then the excuse is, I want to practice what I’m going to say. Because of his inability to make a decision, I decided to immediately record the interview with an Apple I-phone 3G-S. Who is to say whether the interview was quickly changing into a practice speech, where Larry might only speak of his positive interpretation of the adventure, instead of conducting an impromptu honest transparent conversation? News doesn’t mean, practice your story, and when ready, call and we’ll bring the cameras over. Of course, I may be mistaken. My powers of observation may have been distorted. Was Larry’s situation a question of ethics or integrity, could it be analyzed using a Potter Box process? Granted this ethical dilemma was nowhere on the scale of a Presidential debacle , reclaiming stolen land, exposing ethnic cleansing, or a matter of discovering corporate atrocities using covert infiltra