It’s not about being ethical for a week

Journalism ethics is a hot topic of late and, coincidentally,

Saturday marked the end of National Ethics in Journalism Week, so the

timing of today’s discussion is perfect.

Two weeks ago, I shared with Daily Pilot readers a story about a

newspaper in the state of Washington that published a false story as

a way to help authorities catch an arsonist, and some readers shared

their opinions, some of which I used in my column last week.

At the Salt Lake City Tribune, two reporters were reprimanded and

the editor resigned after it was learned that the reporters had made

a deal with the National Enquirer to give what turned out to be

erroneous information about the father and uncle of Elizabeth Smart,

the young girl who was kidnapped for nearly a year.

As many of you know, the Pentagon employed a different media

strategy during the war with Iraq, allowing reporters and

photographers to be “embedded” with military forces as a way to cover

the war.

That has raised questions whether those media members became too

close to their sources (the military) and were unable to produce

objective pieces of journalism.

On the heels of all that, I’d like to share with readers this week

a Code of Ethics, created by the Society of Professional Journalists

and voluntarily embraced by thousands of news professionals.

I encourage our readers to hold the reporters, photographers and

editors of the Daily Pilot to the highest standards of ethical

guidelines. I firmly believe that if a newspaper doesn’t have its

integrity, it loses the public’s trust.

Here is a slightly truncated version of the Code of Ethics.

Simply put, it says 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.

* Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity.

* Make certain that headlines, news teases, photos and quotations

do not misrepresent.

* Never distort the content of news photos.

* Avoid misleading reenactments or staged news events.

* Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering

information.

* Never plagiarize.

* Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human

experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.

* Avoid imposing 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.

* Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting.

* Distinguish news from advertising.

* Ensure that the public’s business is conducted in the open and

that government records are open to inspection.

* Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news

coverage.

* 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.

* Recognize that private people have a greater right to control

information about themselves than do public officials.

* Show good taste.

* 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 suspect’s fair trial rights with the public’s

right to be informed.

* 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.

* 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.