Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Journalism ethics' that was published in Newsband

Journalism ethics

Today is the sixth anniversary of daily newspaper Newsband and 16^th anniversary of its weekly supplement ‘In New Bombay’. So on this day the right topic to dwell on would be ‘Journalism ethics’.

Journalism ethics and standards comprise principles of ethics and of good practice as applicable to the specific challenges faced by journalists.

A journalist should observe the principles of — truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness and public accountability — as these apply to the acquisition of newsworthy information and its subsequent dissemination to the public.

Journalism ethics include the principle of "limitation of harm." This often involves the withholding of certain details from reports such as the names of minor children, crime victims' names or information not materially related to particular news reports release of which might, for example, harm someone's reputation.

News based on race, religion, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities should be avoided.     

The Society of Professional Journalist in U.S. has come up with Code of Ethics which starts like this: “...public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility.”

The Radio-Television News Directors Association, an organization exclusively centered on electronic journalism, maintains a code of ethics centering on public trust, truthfulness, fairness, integrity, independence and accountability.

The following are the code of ethics for newspaper Reporters: (1) Reporters are expected to be as accurate as possible given the time allotted to story preparation and the space available, and to seek reliable sources. (2) Events with a single eyewitness are reported with attribution. Events with two or more independent eyewitnesses may be reported as fact. Controversial facts are reported with attribution. (3) Independent fact-checking by another employee of the publisher is desirable.  (4) Corrections are published when errors are discovered. (5) Defendants at trial are treated only as having "allegedly" committed crimes, until conviction, when their crimes are generally reported as fact (unless, that is, there is serious controversy about wrongful conviction). (6) Opinion surveys and statistical information deserve special treatment to communicate in precise terms any conclusions, to contextualize the results, and to specify accuracy, including estimated error and methodological criticism or flaws.

The Society of Professional Journalists' code of ethics offers the following advice: (1) Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects. (2) Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief. (3) Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance. (4) Recognize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention. Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyone's privacy. (5) Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity. (6) Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes. (7) Be judicious about naming criminal suspects before the formal filing of charges. (8) Balance a criminal suspect's fair trial rights with the public's right to be informed.

Thus an organization earns and maintains a strong reputation, in part, through a consistent implementation of ethical standards, which influence its position with the public and within the industry.