Journalists and Professional Ethics

Larissa Beriswill

lb657516@ohio.edu

In recent years, the credibility of various news outlets in the United States has been questioned. The journalists and reporters working for these news outlets have also been linked to the skepticism of the public. Now more than ever, it's crucial for journalists to take professional ethics serious and apply those ethics to every piece of work that is published. Stated in Moral Reasoning for Journalists, ethics codes often change which is indicative of the inherent problem with ethics codes. "They should not be considered anything more than contemporary guides for beginning the process of moral reasoning."

Source: https://accountingzone.weebly.com/ethics-in-finanacial-reporting.html

In today's society, there is no knowing which sources and stories to trust. Not only are media outlets being bashed by people on talk shows and on the internet, but reporters are now losing their credibility based on the outlets they work for. Professional ethics in journalism matters more now than it ever has, based on the current events and the state of the media. 

Journalists and journalism students across the nation are taught to abide by the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. Stated in the preamble of said code of ethics, "Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity."

Followed by the preamble are the four principles of the foundation of ethical journalism: seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable and transparent. If nothing else, these principles certainly sum up what professional ethics in a journalist should be. A trustworthy reporter works under these principles in every aspect of their career. When a journalists follows these principles, how can anyone say that the media is responsible for all of society's ills? 

Many critics have concerns that mainstream journalism isn't what it used to be, and the only concern of reporters are money, page views and circulation. While those concerns are legitimate and question the ethics of a journalist, there is little to say when it comes to proof. A good journalist responds to these criticisms in a professional way while looking at the concerns from each angle. 

Professional ethics matter in every aspect of a journalists' career. Whether it be a story, responding to a critic or simply reposting things on their social media accounts. Additionally, the concept of "fake news" has certainly made professional ethics that much more important for mainstream media reporters. Students studying journalism today are the journalists and reporters of the future, we must take the professional ethics seriously.