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.SEEK TRUTH AND REPORT ITJournalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reportingand interpreting information.Journalists should:· Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care toavoid inadvertent error.Deliberate distortion is never permissible.· Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunityto respond to allegations of wrongdoing.*transcriptionTLFeBOOK190APPENDIX· Identify sources whenever feasible.The public is entitled to as much in-formation as possible on sources’ reliability.· Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity.· Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for infor-mation.Keep promises.· Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material,photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not mis-represent.They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out ofcontext.· Never distort the content of news photos or video.Image enhancementfor technical clarity is always permissible.Label montages and photo il-lustrations.· Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events.If re-enactmentis necessary to tell a story, label it.· Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering informa-tion except when traditional open methods will not yield information vi-tal to the public.Use of such methods should be explained as part of thestory.· Never plagiarize.· Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experienceboldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.Examine their own culturalvalues and avoid imposing those values on others.· Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography,sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.· Support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.· Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of informationcan be equally valid.· Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting.Analysis and com-mentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.· Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the linesbetween the two.· Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public’s business isconducted in the open and that government records are open to inspec-tion.MINIMIZE HARMEthical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beingsdeserving of respect.TLFeBOOKMEDIA CODES OF ETHICS191Journalists should:· Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by newscoverage.Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexpe-rienced sources or subjects.· Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of thoseaffected by tragedy or grief.· Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm ordiscomfort.Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance.· Recognize that private people have a greater right to control informa-tion about themselves than do public officials and others who seekpower, influence or attention.Only an overriding public need can justifyintrusion into anyone’s privacy.· Show good taste.Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.· Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes.· Be judicious about naming criminal suspects before the formal filing ofcharges.· Balance a criminal suspect’s fair trial rights with the public’s right to beinformed.ACT INDEPENDENTLYJournalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the pub-lic’s right to know.Journalists should:· Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.· Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integ-rity or damage credibility.· Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shunsecondary employment, political involvement, public office and servicein community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.· Disclose unavoidable conflicts.· Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power account-able.· Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resisttheir pressure to influence news coverage.· Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; avoid bid-ding for news.TLFeBOOK192APPENDIXBE ACCOUNTABLEJournalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and eachother.Journalists should:· Clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the publicover journalistic conduct.· Encourage the public to voice grievances against the news media.· Admit mistakes and correct them promptly.· Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media.· Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others.Sigma Delta Chi’s first Code of Ethics was borrowed from the American Societyof Newspaper Editors in 1926 [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]