Journalists Have a Code of Ethics, WHO KNEW???

[Contessa_Sharra]

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.

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.
— Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story
— Never plagiarize.
— Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.
— Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those 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; 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.
— Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.
— Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public's business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.

​

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[kwc57]

Not only that, but the much maligned MSM have an editorial process where stories have to pass muster before being published or broadcast. Is it a perfect and flawless system? No. The new alternative media that so many people rely on for their information.......not so much. Anybody with a small amount of money can purchase a domain thru Go Daddy or a thousand other hosting sites and publish their "facts". Caveat emptor.

 

[Contessa_Sharra]

It is just so amazing that so many are so one-way, bias, prejudiced and absolutely partisan in what they choose are "reality."

The O'Keefe situation is almost incredible in that this little punk was the darling of one area, but suddenly now no one knows him at all, but whatever he was, journalist is not in it.

One also has to wonder at the "family values" of Flanagan, raising a son who just had no clue what was illegal and what was not... children do learn what they live....

Going back to the ACORN tapes, one also has to wonder at the racial bias of one who thinks ANYONE would be cruising around inner city DC and inner city Baltimore at the end of July in a suit, tie, and a "chinchilla" cape.... I am sure that there, as in many diverse areas, there are pimps, but doubt they are quite that stupid....

A real journalist would have done some actual research, or used the powers of his/her own observation.

I find it also somewhat incredible that supposedly MSM is playing this off as some sort of "prank" or stunt....

 

[TheSuaveOne]

I find it also somewhat incredible that supposedly MSM is playing this off as some sort of "prank" or stunt....

Because that's what they were told by the authorities involved in the case?

-TSO

 

[Darkwind]

Now if only they practiced those values. Far to many of them in the MSM are addicted to liberal cock.

 

[blastoff]

A very good friend of mine is a past president of the Society of Professional Journalists.

I've never experienced anything untrue in his writings, but he's so far left he just goes round in circles.

 

[JenT]

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.

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.
— Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story
— Never plagiarize.
— Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.
— Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those 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; 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.
— Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.
— Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public's business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.

​

MORE

Clearly the MSM need to come up with a new name for themselves than "journalists" or if belong to the "Members of the Society of Professional Journalists," they need to clean house or be the new definition of laughingstock.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

I don't believe MSM journalists are stupid, or even that venial. they are however short of basic understanding somehow. I have used both the these analogies before, but they remind me of Bertie Wooster or the Narrater in Lardner's "Haircut." All the facts are right there in front of them. All we know from the stories is what they tell us. But they seem to understand nothing of what they see. Their understanding and knowledge is the same as the blind man holding the tail of the elephant and calling it a vile smelling snake.

 

[saveliberty]

Having a code is one thing. Using it is another. Further, since journalists are not licensed, what sort of penalty or policing is available. We have rules here too. That doing us much good?

 

[Contessa_Sharra]

Having a code is one thing. Using it is another. Further, since journalists are not licensed, what sort of penalty or policing is available. We have rules here too. That doing us much good?

Same rules apply, I'd say, put them on ignore... Too sad but the most accurate fact based news about the US anymore is coming out of non US based news outlets.

All of our "news" anymore is about things that a few years ago would never have made it beyond Globe, and Inquirer, and the rest of the gossip sheets. What makes it worse, though, is that so many are so completely ignorant and just suck in what often are out and out misrepresentations of actual facts. Unfortunately, all too many are stuck between just plain lazy, and totally apathetic, and end up so easily manipulated.

NEWS is all about ONCE AGAIN, corporate bottom lines, and placating stockholders who have been misinformed about stocks and "guaranteed profit."

The idea of corporate governance is anathema, and there actually is a remedy:

This history started with playing games with the press, and managing the "theater" of politics. People will only take just so much of the greed... then it gets ugly...