Several journalism organizations and reputable news sources employ a code of ethics to guide their practice. The following examples are available for you to review and familiarize yourself with.
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.
The New York Times, one of the most utilized news sources in the United States, created an Ethical Journalism handbook to instruct journalists how to report information. The guide is linked and available below.
National news is important to be regulated, and international news is no different. The International Federation of Journalists drafted a Global Charter of Ethics for Journalists at the 30th IFJ World Congress in 2019 (held in Tunisia). This document refers to and is shaped by international law, particularly the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations). The purpose of this charter is to clearly document a journalist's responsibilities, while noting the ethical boundaries one must follow.
Review the full Charter, attached below.
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.
For more examples of ethical dilemmas and how to navigate them, review the Ethics Case Studies linked below.