Public access to knowledge is at the forefront of all journalism ethics codes. Many news institutions believe the freedom of public information to be the base of American democracy. Journalism should be unbiased and informative to its readers in order to help them make decisions about the world around them.
Codes of ethics are guidelines (not rules) for news reporters that inform them of potential unethical hurdles they may encounter when providing information for the public. The number one (and possibly most important) issue included in almost all journalism ethics codes is truth.
The Society of Profession Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics lists four principles they believe allow journalists to report accurately and fairly. The first is to "seek the truth and report it". This means using original sources, gathering correct information, holding those with power accountable, supporting multiple points of view and never distort or plagiarize information. SPJ also believes in minimizing harm while reporting by treating the public with human respect. Ethical practices include balancing the public's need for truth and information against harm. Often times, reporters cover difficult subjects, such as graphic crime, that need to be treated as sensitive matters.
The third statement SPJ makes in its code is to act independently. In order to report fairly, journalists should not involve conflicts of interest. Receiving gifts or special favors taints the reputation of a news story or reporter. Lastly, SPJ wants journalists to be accountable and transparent by acknowledging mistakes and correcting them quickly and exposing problems within their own organization.
The New York Times encourages a similar code of ethics in their journalism practices. The Times' goal is cover the news truthfully, "without fear or favor," which nicely summarizes some of SPJ's codes of truth and integrity.
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Letter of understanding with Newspaper Guild of New York from The New York Times
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The Time's has a large reputation to maintain, so their guidelines apply to all members of their news and editorial departments and are strictly enforced. In contrast, SPJ's code is helpful for all journalists in all organizations.
The Times states the purpose of their ethics code is "to protect the impartiality and neutrality of The Times and the integrity of its report." It has been argued that The Times does not report neutrally, and they tend to lean towards left-wing politics and issues. Although sometimes biased, The Times does not tolerate the acceptance of gifts or false information. Like SPJ, they believe in putting their readers first.
Most journalists can agree that the most important role of journalism is providing truthful information to the public without creating damage in the process. Ethics codes provide solutions to potential problems that may erupt while covering a news story and help journalists do the best job possible.
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