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Seek truth and report it. This requires
that you:
- test the accuracy of information from all sources.
- fairly represent multiple perspectives and viewpoints.
- identify sources whenever feasible so the public may judge the reliability of the information.
- safeguard the public’s need for information.
Despite the rhetoric of First Amendment attorneys, the public does not have a “right to know” per se. The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States says that citizens have a right to assemble, speak, practice their chosen religion, petition the government for redress of grievances, and that the Congress shall make no law limiting the freedom of the press. It does not address the public’s “right to know” anything. But most communication scholars acknowledge the crucial role that the media play in nurturing an informed electorate and citizenry.
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Minimize harm.This requires that you:
- avoid privacy violations. Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyone’s privacy and such intrusion may invoke legal sanctions if a source can demonstrate harm. In the context of information seeking, information that can be found should not necessarily be used.
- be cautious about naming criminals before the formal filing of charges, identifying juvenile suspects or victims, or seeking interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief.
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Act independently.This requires that you:
- be wary of sources offering information for favors or money.
- disclose potential conflicts of interest. IE: failing to label the content from a video news release in a TV broadcast story is a breach of ethics.
- hold those with power accountable.
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Be accountable.This requires that you:
- admit mistakes and correct them promptly. Libel law may be invoked if the mistake injures a news subject.
- stand up for what is right in the media organization.
- abide by the same high standards to which you hold others.
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