Kathryn Luscombe

"Should I print this?" - Ethical Issues

So you're not breaking the law. He said it, she said it. It happened, you photographed it. But just because you can print, does it mean you should?

Journalism ethics is a very tough subject. Each one of us has a slightly different idea of what is "right" and what is "wrong," what is acceptable and what it not. What is newsworthy to one person might not matter to another person. Decisions journalists make can affect more people than just the person they're writing about, and before publishing, all of the people must be taken into account, to assure that the newsworthiness of each story is higher than the negative consequences that might ensue. Every newspaper has an ethics policys to determine what goes to print, but the interpretation of these codes can vary from person to person. Having an ethics policy helps readers understand why the publication makes the decisions it does, and also holds the publication to a certain standard.

Though there is not one formula or handbook that can make decisions for us, there are many resources that can make the process a little easier. Here are some things to think about when deciding to print a piece of news:

Ask These 10 Questions to Make Good Ethical Decisions
By Bob Steel, Nelson Poynter Scholar for Journalism Values
1. What do I know? What do I need to know?
2. What is my journalistic purpose?
3. What are my ethical concerns?
4. What organizational policies and professional guidelines should I consider?
5. How can I include other people, with different perspectives and diverse ideas, in the decision-making process?
6. Who are the stakeholders -- those affected by my decision? What are their motivations? Which are legitimate?
7. What if the roles were reversed? How would I feel if I were in the shoes of one of the stakeholders?
8. What are the possible consequences of my actions? Short term? Long term?
9. What are my alternatives to maximize my truthtelling responsibility and minimize harm?
10. Can I clearly and fully justify my thinking and my decision? To my colleagues? To the stakeholders? To the public?

Still Stuck? Try this Ethics Tool from ASNE and Poynter if you need a little more help through the decision-making process.

The Code of Ethics as determined by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)
The SPJ Code of Ethics is voluntarily embraced by thousands of writers, editors and other news professionals. This are the four main "rules" for maintaining responsible journalism
1. Seek Truth and Report It
   Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information
2. Minimize Harm
   Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect.
3. Act Independently
   Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public's right to know.
4. Be Accountable
    Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other.
Click here for a more detailed explanation of the SPJ Code of Ethic s
SPJ Ethics Hotline

Links to ethics policies from professional publications
New York Times
Detroit Free Press
A gigantic resource of professional ethics codes from the American Society of Newspaper Editors