Many journalistic organizations have worked for years to create codes of ethics to define a journalist’s obligations as part of their craft. One of the more well-known ones in the Society of Professional Journalists’ code which has four main parts to it. The first is “seek truth and report it” which means a journalist should be actively looking for the truth in stories and giving voices to sides of a story that might not be obvious or speaking as loud as other. It calls for credibility through quotations and reliable sources that would know best what is really happening in the story. The second is “minimize harm” which means showing compassion to both the subjects of stories and the readers, giving both sensitivity as not to intentionally offend or endanger anyone unnecessarily. The third is “act independently” meaning that a journalist should not be swayed by politics, advertisers, or sponsors to further their careers or to present a single-sided story that would seek to sway public opinion. The final part is “be accountable” which calls for transparency between the journalist and their readers. If a mistake was made in a story, it needs to be admitted so that the readers know you are a trustworthy source. These are all examples of professional journalism ethics. But personal ethics can vary between writers. Some may choose not to write about political events if they themselves are active in that party. Some may choose to publish someone’s Facebook photo even though that person did not give them permission to. Some may choose to print language that they don’t consider offensive even if some people do.
Journalists are often faced with difficult ethical situations and questions while reporting stories. When uncertain how to approach these situations there are three steps that can be taken. First of all, reporters should consider their own opinions on how just the action is. They can reflect on what concerns they have and what they would want to happen if the roles were reversed. After evaluating their own concerns and opinions, writers should think about how their actions will affect others. It is important to know specifically who will be impacted by the writer’s decision and what the short and long term affects are for that person or those people. Finally, journalists should search for any alternatives that are more just than their original action. It is important to anticipate any ethical challenges before things “blow up” and get way out of hand. Everyone has different opinions on what is or is not ethical so it is helpful to work with others while considering how to approach a situation to receive a wide range of ideas and feedback.
Although there isn’t an established code of ethics in the world of journalism, many journalists know right from wrong when it comes to writing and reporting stories. One way that journalism ethics can be separated is by the do’s, don’ts, and dilemmas of reporting. The “do’s” deal with things like fairness, accuracy, context and truth. Fairness has to do with looking at a story from each angle and getting a perspective from everyone who was involved with the event. Accuracy is getting the correct information and making sure that it is verified more than once. It is important for journalists to verify the information before publishing it so that they stay as a credible source. Context is all about putting the story in perspective for the reader, giving background. Truth reiterates accuracy, a journalist always publishes the truth. The “don’ts” of this list deal with things such as plagiarism, sloppy reporting, bias and deception. A good journalist never plagiarizes. They never take another person’s work without citing where it came from. Leaving out important details and assuming things makes for a sloppy article and a sloppy reporter. Having a bias is something that a good reporter never does. The readers won’t be able to form their own opinion if the journalist has already done that for them. Deception can be anything from making up a quote in a story to making up a person in a story. This is lying and makes the journalist and the company they work for lose credibility. Dilemmas are the gray areas in reporting, in some situations they might work but in others they could be unethical. It is important for journalists to consider the consequences before acting on impulse because many things can be at fault. Getting input from other people is a key part in journalism.
Journalism is in a constant state of change in regards to social issues. Individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual do not have to be challenging to write about, despite the cultural changes. The AP Stylebook is a reference that has proven to be invaluable for journalists. As students, the assistance of professors, editors and other peers are essential to learning how to approach potentially sensitive areas to report about.
Sexual relations are also ethically challenging to report about. It is important to respect sources and other students. Avoid behavior that could be interpreted as offensive or harassment. There are no rules or laws dictating what a journalist can or cannot do so it is important for individuals to understand what personal ethics will dictate the course of a career.
Social ethics in journalism change depending on many factors including location or region, the type of publication and the type of material covered.
The location of a publication changes for what is socially acceptable and therefore can be published. This can be different internationally and regionally within the United States.
The type of publication can affect what is socially ethical in print. The College of St. Scholastica’s newspaper The Cable is an example of a publication that could be censored. Contributing reporter and photojournalist for the Cable, Veronica Cich is a communications student at the College of St. Scholastica. Despite the conservative view of the Catholic church, Cich said that the Cable was not forced to write with a particular agenda. The editorial oversight is not an issue for the newspaper at this time.
“A lot of nuns read the paper,” Cich said.
The publication in this situation does not dictate an agenda, despite how socially controversial a subject might be.
Story choice is another factor that affects the social ethics in a journalistic setting. Strongly dependent on the type of news outlet editors will publish material that would be considered offensive by some readers. This subject is a diverse as there are people, because what offends some may be more than appropriate for others, both in intended audience and writers and editorial staff.
The ethics of politics to be considered in journalism is another extremely large subject. A journalist can use a story to shed light on a political situation. The scope of what is considered ethical politically is a fundamental part of the United States’ political process. In order to meet the needs of this scope, many different and frequently opposing media outlets will present information in differing ways. The First Amendment allows for this freedom of the press that presents through journalism and media different political opinions.
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