The Code of Journalistic Ethics

ASSIGNMENT DETAILS AND REQUIREMENTS:

1) READ THE CODE OF ETHICS OF JOURNALISM BELOW
2) DO YOU THINK THESE RULES ARE SUFFICIENT?
3) WHAT OTHER RULES WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?
THE CODE OF ETHICS OF JOURNALISM:

1)Misrepresentation
– A journalist must always identify himself as a journalist before he begins to gather news. if a person feels
that if he identifies himself as a journalist, he would not be able to get the required information and
therefore conceals the fact that he is a journalist , then he is breaking the code. A journalist is allowed to
misrepresent himself only when is is trying to uncover illegal operation and wants to bring the culprits to
book; in other words, when he is engaged in investigative journalism. As- the people he is trying to expose
are doing something against the law, the journalist becomes and ordinary citizen who has the right to
apprehend culprits.
2)Protecting Sources of Information
– If a journalist assures a source that he would keep the informant’s identify a secret, he must keep his word
under all circumstances. There have been cases where when a journalist uncovers information not known even to
the Police, the Court has ordered to journalist to divulge that information. Some journalist get the
permission of the informant before revealing his or her name; and some journalist have served jail terms for
refusing to divulge information

3)Objectivity and fairness
-A journalist must always be objective when he/she writes a story. Many editors strongly believe that this is
the most important in the code of ethics. The journalist must be fair and balanced in his reports to such an
extent that he is not seen as taking sides

4)Conflict of interest
-lets say you are a reporter and you have been asked to report from the courts. you find that in one of the
courts the accused person is someone known to you. It could even be your relative or a close friend. If you
feel that you will no be fair and that you are likely to slant the story in support of the accused, then
there’s a conflict of interest.

5)Economic Pressure
– if you are working for an established newspapper or TV station, you are not likely to face the problem of
economic pressure. But if you work for a small time newspaper, which is financial difficulties , you might be
asked , by an advertiser to write an article in favour of a particular product, company or even a person in
return for buying advertising space in your newspaper or airtime in your station. If you comply, then you are
yielding to economic pressure and thats against journalistic ethics.

6)Privacy versus the Public’s right to know
-Every person, whether in the news or not, is entitled to his or her privacy. So, there is a limit to extent
to which a journalist can go in gathering information on a person, even if he or she was a celebrity.
If a politican is married and is holding publice office, a journalist is allowed to probe into his private
life, if he said to be having an extra-marital affair. But you must remember that he is innocent until proven
guilty. The Approach should therefore be very discreet. You are moving into investigative journalism

7)Acceptance of gifts is prohibited
-A journalist should not demand payment in cash or in kind for journalistic work, and can not accept them
either, even if they come without demand. When a journalist hears that a multi-national company in Singapore,
is going to get a new CEO, he normally interviews him when he eventually takes office, and if, pleased by the
nice interview published or broadcast, the CEO rewards the journalist with gifts, the journalist should not
accept it.

8)Compassion versus the public’s right to know
-The people have the right to know the news. But suppose there has been a nasty road accident in which a
marrie man riding a motorbike has died. Her pillion-riding wife is crying over her husban’s body. The people
have the right to know how the accident occurred. But you got to approach the matter with compassion theres a
limit to what yo can show on TV. a journalist should be able to draw a line between compassion and news.

9)Accuracy
-Accuracy is the responsibility of the journalist. He must leave no stones unturned in his quest to get to the
truth. But sometimes , there is certain information that should remain secret of the interest of the very
people who have the right to know. The journalist should be highly responsible when deciding on this. However,
when he is fully satisfied that the information is harmless, he could then make it known to all.
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