Ethics in Journalism

Personal and Professional Ethics in Journalism

The value of personal and professional ethics is touted as being of the greatest importance in news journalism. Newspapers post their own clearly-defined “code of ethics” in plain view of all employees, and it is also available to the publication’s readers. As cultural values change, do we also find that the values of our news media change? 

The Society of Professional Journalists is an organization that created the defining code of ethics for journalism. This code is used in countless news organizations and in journalism schools. 

The Preamble to the code says, “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.” 

Ethics codes are put in place to set a journalist on a higher plane than the other forms of media. With the line between news and entertainment blurring to an increasing degree it has become difficult for consumers to tell the difference between ethical news and unethical news. 

A hot button topic that journalists have agonized over for years has been whether or not to disclose the names of crime victims, specifically the names of victims of sex crimes which are particularly embarrassing to the victim and the victim’s family.