A brief overview of ethical questions faced by working journalists and how to handle them.

1. Ethics in journalism 2017
The fundamentals
of media credibility

2. Society of Professional
Journalists’ Code of Ethics
www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp
and
Linked from class website

3. 1. Don’t make things up
• The most basic rule in journalism

4. 1. Don’t make things up
• The most basic rule in journalism
• Mike Barnicle, Patricia Smith, Jayson Blair,
Jack Kelley, Stephen Glass, Janet Cooke,
and on and on and on

5. 1. Don’t make things up
• The most basic rule in journalism
• Mike Barnicle, Patricia Smith, Jayson Blair,
Jack Kelley, Stephen Glass, Janet Cooke,
and on and on and on
• Non-fiction is the heart and soul of what
we do

6. 1a. Don’t plagiarize
• Along with fabrication, one of the two
capital offenses in journalism

7. 1a. Don’t plagiarize
• Along with fabrication, one of the two
capital offenses in journalism
• Easier to get caught than ever before
because of Google and LexisNexis

8. 1a. Don’t plagiarize
• Along with fabrication, one of the two
capital offenses in journalism
• Easier to get caught than ever before
because of Google and LexisNexis
• The “Romenesko effect”

9. 1a. Don’t plagiarize
• Along with fabrication, one of the two
capital offenses in journalism
• Easier to get caught than ever before
because of Google and LexisNexis
• The “Romenesko effect”
• Background doesn’t have to be attributed
— but what is background?

10. 3. Exact quotes are exact quotes
• What’s inside quotation marks is exactly
what the person said

11. 3. Exact quotes are exact quotes
• What’s inside quotation marks is exactly
what the person said
• Don’t use quotation marks for indirect
quotes

12. 3. Exact quotes are exact quotes
• What’s inside quotation marks is exactly
what the person said
• Don’t use quotation marks for indirect
quotes
• Use fragmentary quotes when you only get
a few pithy comments

13. 4. Avoid conflicts of interest
• Do not quote your family members unless
you’re writing a personal essay

14. 4. Avoid conflicts of interest
• Do not quote your family members unless
you’re writing a personal essay
• Do not report on story in which you or
family members are directly involved

15. 4. Avoid conflicts of interest
• Do not quote your family members unless
you’re writing a personal essay
• Do not report on story in which you or
family members are directly involved
• Do not accept gifts from sources

16. 5. Be fair and neutral
• Seek out the truth and report all sides

17. 5. Be fair and neutral
• Seek out the truth and report all sides
• Always contact someone who is being
criticized by others

18. 5. Be fair and neutral
• Seek out the truth and report all sides
• Always contact someone who is being
criticized by others
• Write in the “objective” voice — keep your
opinion to yourself

19. 6. Identify yourself
• Always tell a potential source that you’re a
reporter working on a story

20. 6. Identify yourself
• Always tell a potential source that you’re a
reporter working on a story
• Never turn a conversation into an interview
without permission

21. 6. Identify yourself
• Always tell a potential source that you’re a
reporter working on a story
• Never turn a conversation into an interview
without permission
• Undercover assignments must be approved
at the highest level

22. 7. Anonymous sources
• Urge them to go on the record; use them as
little as possible

23. 7. Anonymous sources
• Urge them to go on the record; use them as
little as possible
• Your editor has a right to know your
source’s identity

24. 7. Anonymous sources
• Urge them to go on the record; use them as
little as possible
• Your editor has a right to know your
source’s identity
• You are bound by the promise you made

25. 7. Anonymous sources
• Urge them to go on the record; use them as
little as possible
• Your editor has a right to know your
source’s identity
• You are bound by the promise you made
• Ex post facto requests to go off the record
must be handled with care

26. 8. Recorder protocol
• Massachusetts is a two-party state

27. 8. Recorder protocol
• Massachusetts is a two-party state
• First thing we should hear is, “I’ve just
turned on the recorder”

28. 8. Recorder protocol
• Massachusetts is a two-party state
• First thing we should hear is, “I’ve just
turned on the recorder”
• Recording is becoming more important in
online journalism

29. 9. Admit your mistakes
• We all make them

30. 9. Admit your mistakes
• We all make them
• Prompt and willing correction can help
avoid libel suit

31. 9. Admit your mistakes
• We all make them
• Prompt and willing correction can help
avoid libel suit
• Adds to media credibility

32. 10. Have fun!