Journalism Ethics

Iram shahzadi
1/11/2010

JOURNALISM ........................................................................................................................................... 2 TYPES OF JOURNALISM ....................................................................................................................... 3 JOURNALISM ETHICS ............................................................................................................................ 3 SEEK TRUTH AND REPORT IT ........................................................................................................... 3 MINIMIZE HARM .................................................................................................................................... 4 ACT INDEPENDENTLY .......................................................................................................................... 5 BE ACCOUNTABLE ................................................................................................................................. 5 DO JOURNALISTS FOLLOW JOURNALISM ETHICS DURING REPORTING? .......................... 5 REFERENCE .............................................................................................................................................. 6

Journalism
A discipline of collecting, verifying, reporting and analyzing information gathered regarding current affairs, including trends, issues and people is called journalism. Those who practice journalism are known as journalists. Journalism is referred as Draft of history so it must be handled with great care. Thats why all reporting is edited and proof read before being published. Journalists' interaction with sources sometimes involves confidentiality. Many governments guarantee the freedom of the press. By extension, these freedoms sometimes also add legal protection for journalists, allowing them to keep the identity of a source private even when demanded by the police. The main activity of journalism is the reporting of events by stating who, what, when, where, why and how and explaining the significance and impact of the event or trend. Journalism exists in a number of media: newspaper, television, radio, magazines and the internet as a newcomer. A distinction is drawn between reporting (the facts) and the opinions like editorials (official opinion of paper in which it published). These opinions sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally cause Propaganda (disinformation).

Types Of journalism
There are many different types of journalisms like Investigative journalism News journalism Celebrity journalism Fashion journalism Sports journalism Business and finance journalism Environmental journalism Citizen journalism etc

Journalism Ethics
Seek Truth and Report It Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.

Journalists should: Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible. Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing. Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources' reliability. Always question sources motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises. Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context. Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations. Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events. If re-enactment is necessary to tell a story, label it. Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid. Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.

Minimize Harm
Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect. Journalists should: Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects. Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief. Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance. Recognize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention. Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyones 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 of charges. Balance a criminal suspects fair trial rights with the publics right to be informed.

Act Independently
Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public's right to know. Journalists should: Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility. Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity. Disclose unavoidable conflicts. Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable. Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence news coverage. Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; avoid bidding for news.

Be Accountable
Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other. Journalists should: Clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over 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.

Do journalists follow journalism ethics during reporting?

Most codes of ethics contain standards for news organizations or associations in specific countries. International associations of journalists exist, and some have constructed declarations of principle. But no global code has been adopted by all major journalism associations and news organizations. Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and

adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards of practice. There are two ways to look at journalistic ethics. 1.) Look at them as a guideline and "hope" all journalists would follow them 2.) Look at them realistically and see how they are practiced in the real world. (i give a few links at the bottom as well of these examples) A.) For the most part - no - they are not followed by today's "journalists". Our society of instant gratification - particularly when it comes to entertainment - has bred a generation of corrupt journalists who will say anything and do anything to get a few more ticks on the rating scale, or sell a few more papers in the Sunday press. A code of ethics essentially says to strip yourself of all personal identity - remove yourself from the report - remove your own political views from the discussion, and report on it as a completely influential figure in the room. but as the links below will show you - this never happens in this country. Facts get omitted to create a better story. Quotes get misused and almost always taken out of context. Everyone just wants to spew forth their opinion anymore - and hope they can get a cult gathering of people who agree with them. Makes for great TV - but also makes for the exact opposite of what an ethical journalist aspires to be. Example 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgXDviWQo Example 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCQ4gAAVW (this example shows that a network actually CHANGES the pictures of the people they are covering completely to get across their agenda) Example 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvSLNSn5s that last video is just proof that even liars have the right to free speech. That is most disappointing about this country. Any idiot with a few million dollars can spread his hate and lies across the country in any form they wish - and most Americans are gullible enough to eat it up. Even when we look at journalist in our country Pakistan we find many use their duty to serve their beneficiary not common people. Especially editorial part of newspaper is only used to make propaganda. When we talk about TV especially talk shows we can imagine how these been used to promote their beneficiary.

Reference
1- http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Journalism 2- http://www.buzzle.com/articles/types-of-journalism.html 3- http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp