Ethics in Journalism

Madison Foulkes

mf578016@ohio.edu

Even from a young age, we were taught what was ethical and unethical.  "Don't yell in the classroom." "Share your snacks with others." "Listen to the teacher."

Now that we have gotten older, the rules have become even more important. "Don't steal from people." "Don't drive above the speed limit." "Obey authority."

Although everyone may not agree with these rules all the time, they help keep our society united and organized. These "rules" stem from the idea of ethics. Ethics have always varied from country to country and culture to culture. The idea of ethics began in ancient Greek culture and was described as the study of knowledge. When describing a choice as 'ethical,' it should be reflective of reasoning. When describing a choice as 'unethical,' it is generally based on assumption, emotion and reflex. As mentioned above, not all citizens will always agree with the rules and laws the government has placed upon them, but rather than violating these laws, citizens are responsible for coming together and revising them in an ethical way.

A student questions whether his actions were ethical(Source: Media Matters for America).

Ethics is as important now as it was hundreds of years ago. With consumers feeling like they can't trust news sources and various media, journalists have to be even more careful about how they present certain topics to the public. There are critics that feel journalism has lost its way and no longer provides truthful and honest content to the public. However, research shows that journalists are more concerned with ethics than in previous years. Recently, there has been a shift to more stories being sensational and flashy because they are more likely to catch the eye. This drowns out the news outlets that focus on providing quality journalism to their readers. People often feel that journalists are not living up to the moral obligations they have been given to clearly inform the public of necessary information.

Today, there are over 400 codes written and developed by various groups and organizations of journalists. Many news organizations follow the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics, but some have their own. Although each of these codes may vary slightly in wording and structure, many of them contain five main journalistic values our society holds them accountable to. These include accuracy/fact-based information, independence, fairness/impartiality, humanity and accountability/transparency.

Journalists should aim to provide accuracy with relevant facts when reporting. They should also make sure they include their own individual voice and that they are not acting on behalf of special interests. Journalists should show all sides to the story while being objective as well as being sensitive and careful about how they present information. Finally, journalists need to be held accountable for their actions and be transparent with reporting.

Moreover, ethical journalism is important to the overall success of a society. Without accurate and fair reporting, a society cannot function to its fullest ability. Journalists need to provide information in a form that readers and viewers can use to better understand a society and help it succeed.