Journalism Ethics

“We Should not just cover the community

we serve but also serve the community

we cover”-Atty. Pachico Seares

What is ethics?

o Comes from the Greek work “ethos”, which means CHARACTER.

o The Greek philosopher Aristotle popularized the study of ethics.

o Ethical person =“man of character”

o Someone who does what is right and what he ought.

Today…

o Ethics refer to standards of right and wrongTime CultureSociety

o Ethics overlap with religion because most faiths advocate a set of moral norms that could even be more demanding than ethical norms.

o Ethics overlaps with the law because many laws were created to protect individuals from unethical actions of others.

Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) three-tiered guideline

1. Seek truth and report it;2. Minimize harm;3. Be accountable.

Seek truth and report it

Journalist makes sure he is reporting facts not rumors.

Verify information through documents or other interviews.

Identify his sourcesThe headline and lead does

not mislead readers but reflect the contents of the news story.

Editors should check that the story has no discriminatory elements or stereotyping by race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, or physical disability

Seek truth and report it

“Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects, and colleagues as human beings deserving or respect”

– SPJ manual

Minimize Harm

Not all truths can be reported.A journalist should weigh his

facts and determine if the story is necessary for public welfare or if it’s simply a form of voyeurism into someone’s private affairs.

Being compassionate with your sources and those who may be adversely affected by the news coverage.

Minimize Harm

“With great power, comes great responsibility”

Journalists should realize that they are accountable to their audience.

Should be open to dialogue with their audience.

Accountability also means independence.

Be Accountable