1. The rules for journalism – and life
Ethics
The rules for journalism – and life

2. What are ethics A set of moral principles
A theory or system of moral values
Are ethics and morals different?
Discuss

3. Journalists Society of Professional Journalists
Seek truth and report it
Minimize harm
Act independently
Be accountable

4. Seek Truth and Report It
Avoid inadvertent error
Seek out all sides of story (not just two)
Identify sources when feasible
Never plagiarize
Examine own cultural values and impact they may have
Help ensure government openness
Question sources

5. Minimize Harm Show compassion Be sensitive Don’t be arrogant
Use good taste
Be cautious
Be balances
Be judicious

6. Act Independently Avoid perceived or real conflicts of interest
Refuse gifts
Disclose unavoidable conflicts
Hold those in power accountable
Resist pressure from advertisers to distort news
Be wary of favors

7. Be Accountable Invite public comment
Admit mistakes and correct them promptly
Expose unethical practices

8. It Comes from Inside Your ethics might be different than mine
That’s OK (in some cases)
Some rules apply universally
Everyone has to come up with his or her own moral compass
Big ethical breaches grow from small ones (see later)

9. What Would You Do?
You finish a two-hour interview with the mayor about all the changes she wants to make to improve the city. She lets it slip that she thinks the police chief has bungled efforts to curb crime. After the interview, she asks you not to use that….

10. What Would You Do?
You keep getting beaten by your counterpart at a competing news organization. Your boss has warned this must stop. You are about to file your story on a triple homicide, and you notice your competitor has details online that you don’t have. What do you do …

11. What Would You Do?
You are covering a homicide, and you find out that three young children (under age 5) witnessed the homicide. The mother of the children agrees to have the children photographed, and agrees to let you interview the children. The suspect is still at large …