The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Below is the society's code of ethics, which outlines the practices members are expected to follow as ethical journalists.
Members of the media must make tough choices every day. News editors may choose merely to run stories that are likely to produce a large public reaction or sell more advertising, but ethical editors also consider whether stories meet standards set by the industry and their particular publication. Often the decision whether or not to publish or broadcast a story is complicated for ethical reasons that are not simply a matter of truth or falsehood. The following are just a few famous examples of ethical dilemmas faced by news media.