The Code of Ethics That Journalists (Usually, and Probably Should) Follow

 Arielle Lyons

al417019@ohio.edu

Fictional character Chidi Anagonye from the NBC sitcom "The Good Place"

Source: NBC Universal

In the age where many are confused about who to trust when it comes to news, many people try (and sometimes fail) to point out unethical journalism. Celebrities will claim that quotes in their interviews are "taken out of context" or "clickbait" (ask Jake Paul or Damon Albarn), and many seem to be on the lookout for misleading headlines, but what code of ethics are journalists supposed to adhere to? Do they even have guidelines in the first place? The answer to these questions is more complicated than you'd think, so let's unpack the code of ethics in journalism.

The Many Codes

Working journalists don't have one professional code of ethics they all follow, but professional organizations often have their own code of ethics. These organizations include, but are not limited to:

• Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
• Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA)
• Online News Association (ONA)*
• American Society for Magazine Editors (ASME)*
• National Press Photographer's Association (NPPA)

*These codes are not listed as "codes of ethics" but as value statements and guidelines.

Looking at these codes and the organizations they belong to, not every journalist will adhere to these exact codes due to many of them not fitting their job description. For example, a writer for "The New York Times" wouldn't use The code of ethics from the RTDNA but would more likely adhere to the guidelines listed in SPJ or ONA's code of ethics). In each of these codes, however, there are some similar themes.

The Basics

In two or more of the codes of ethics listed above, the following values are included:

• Truthfulness/Honesty
• Loyalty
• Independence
• Accountability
• Transparency

What do these all mean? It depends on the type of journalism, but when it comes to news reporting in general, the values can be summed up similarly. In terms of honesty, all stories must be completely accurate with no embellished details. According to SPJ's Code of Ethics:

Journalists should:

–  Take responsibility for the accuracy of their work. Verify information before releasing it. Use original sources whenever possible. 

–  Remember that neither speed nor format excuses inaccuracy. 

–  Provide context. Take special care not to misrepresent or oversimplify in promoting, previewing, or summarizing a story. 

–  Gather, update and correct information throughout the life of a news story. 

    

Transparency was also a recurring theme, even for the organizations that don't specifically cover reporting. On the reporting side, it's another value included in SPJ's Code of Ethics and RTDNA's, and as for non-reporting journalism, in  PRSA's and ASME's. Transparency in reporting, according to RTDNA, requires reflection, reconsideration, and honest openness to the possibility that action, however well-intended, was wrong. 

The Code Journalists Follow

Technically, not all journalists have to follow a code of ethics. SPJ has a statement explaining why they don't have a system to manage violations of their guidelines. However, in an age where accusations of "fake news" are hurled at every corner, journalists need to prove their trustworthiness. Therefore, most journalists will follow their code of ethics, usually a mixture of the main points listed above. So, if you're ever unsure about an ethical decision made in reporting, maybe keep in mind the basic guidelines listed above, and if you find something suspicious in reporting, see how the story was reported by a different journalist (who probably used a slight variation on a code of ethics). Every person has their own code of ethics, which applies to professional journalism.