Ethics & Journalism

Duty toward audience

As journalists treat our readers, viewers, listeners and online users as fairly and openly as possible.

Treat audience members no less fairly in private than in public. Civility applies whether an exchange takes place in person, by telephone, by letter or by e-mail.

Gather information for the benefit of our audience.

Staff members or outside contributors who plagiarize betray our fundamental pact with our public. So does anyone who knowingly or recklessly provides false information or doctored images for publication.

Keeping Detachment

Sound judgment and self-awareness require

relationships with sources

It is essential to preserve professional detachment,

free of any hint of bias. Staff members may see

sources informally over a meal or drinks, but they must

keep in mind the difference between legitimate

business and personal friendship.

A city editor who enjoys a weekly round of golf

with a city council member, for example, risks

creating an appearance of coziness.

Keep in mind the restricted areas.

Do not tap telephones, invade computer files or

otherwise eavesdrop electronically on news sources.

In the case of government orders or court directives to

disclose a confidential source, journalists will consult with

the newsroom management and the legal department

on the application of this paragraph.

Official secret act, contempt if court, defamation,

privacy, wages act etc.

Journalists who obtain press cards, press license plates, parking permits or other

identification from police or other official agencies may use those

credentials only to do their jobs.

Staff members may not record private conversations without the prior consent of all

parties to the conversations. In jurisdictions where recordings made secretly are legal, only the top manager of a news department may make an

exception to this rule, and only after consultation with our legal department.

Paying Own Way

When we as journalists entertain

news sources (including

government officials) or travel to

cover them, the company pays the

expenses.

• Do not invent obstacles to hamstring your competitors’ efforts. If you first use facts originally reported by another news organization, we attribute them.

• With the exception of press pool arrangements imposed by news sources, staff members may not join teams covering news events for other organizations (unless their work is part of a duly authorized joint venture), and they may not accept payment from competitors for news tips.

Rules for Specialized Departments

Sports

Entertainment and the Arts

Travel Journalism

Celebrity journalism

• The good name of our company and of business unit or publication does not belong to any of the employee. No one has a right to exploit it for private purposes.

• ID cards may not be used to obtain special treatment or advantage from governmental, commercial or other organizations.

Speaking for the organisation

• Reporter must not disclose confidential information about the operations, policies or plans of our company or any of its divisions.

• Staff members are free to discuss their own activities in public.

• Any staff member may respond openly and honestly to a reasonable inquiry from a reader about the staff member's work.

What to follow while Reporting? Don’t show blood on screen Avoid showing clips that can harm human values Avoid any comment on religion, cast and community Speak names carefully. Point out any accused company or person after receiving

proofs. Reporter must not show vulgar pictures like nudity, sex,

crime etc. Reporter must cross check the facts so as to give accurate

figures. Actual identity of victim specially in case of women should

not be revealed.

Slander and libel considerations

Reporting the truth is almost never libel, which makes accuracy very important.

Private persons have privacy rights that must be balanced against the public interest in reporting information about them.

Publishers vigorously defend libel lawsuits filed against their reporters, usually covered by libel insurance.

An ombudsman

Cases where media was claimed for violating codes of ethics

PTC news channels objects to notice issued by ECI for violation of election code of conduct

The PTC news channel has strongly refuted the allegations of favouring

candidates of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in its programme 'Tuhada Halqa' for which

the Election Commission of India has issued a notice to the channel for violating

the election code of conduct.

Taj Hotel Attack On May 29, 2011, Mumbai attack plotter David Headley told a Chicago court on May 25 that live TV broadcasts from India on 26/11 gave terrorist handlers in Pakistan all the visuals they needed to instruct their gunmen on how to battle advancing Indian commandos, recalibrate the attack on the ground and inflict maximum damage.

News Broadcasting Standards Authority censures TV9 over privacy violations!

TV channel outs gay men, women in Hyderabad

Nira Radia Tapes Bring Vir Sanghvi,

Barkha Dutt Into Limelight In 2G Scam

Nira Radia has been feeling the

heat due to her alleged involvement in aiding

controversial business projects. The most controversial among these is the 2G spectrum scam.

Nira Radia’s phones had been tapped in relation to this case.

The conversations recorded brought forward the names of

two leading media personalities, Vir Sanghvi and Barkha Dutt, and

their efforts to aid Radia in ensuring Raja takes over as

Telecom Minister.

Morning show host Maya Khan fired from Samaa TV The decision comes after a controversial episode of the morning show, where Khan was seen conducting a ‘raid’ on a public park in Karachi and questioning couples about whether their parents were aware of their whereabouts and going as far as asking them about their marital status.

Times Now TV channel slapped with Rs 100 crore fine, Oct 2011 case

Times Now channel showed the wrong picture

of Justice P B Sawant, a Supreme Court judge in a story on a provident fund

scam for close to 15 seconds by mistake. Several judges were involved in the

case.