This was the question that we, as third year journalism students were forced to consider after Belinda provided an interesting presentation on moral minefields. I must admit her opening statement, “a Journalist’s choice must always be justified and must not lead into uncertain territories” did scare me a little. The potential for danger in the media industry is extremely high and I am grateful to the uni for drilling this into our heads during our degree. It scares me how naive budding journalists would be as they to step foot into the industy via a cadetship (for example) without having been exposed to the moral minefields and ethical dilemmas they will most probably face in their career (all of which we have learnt in a Communications degree).
As a journalist, as well as using my own moral compass, I am comforted by the idea that may media companies (News Ltd, Fairfax and The Age) have now developed and established their very own codes of ethics to assist journalists in their work. We all know that media scrutinise power and you'd be naive to think they do not exercise it, however should they truly be held accountable for their work? Of course they should! And even better, Media Watch's website provides a list of all existing Australian Media Codes of Practice, open to anyone to view. The link is here FYI: http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/resources.htm.
The Sydney Morning Herald in particular has also upheld its professional conduct since the very beginning...
Our editorial management shall be conducted upon principles of candour, honesty and honour. We have no wish to mislead; no interest to gratify by unsparing abuse or indiscriminate approbation. The Sydney Morning Herald, April 18, 1831, April 18, 1831
The code reflects both the Fairfax group's corporate values statement and incorporates the code of ethics of the Australian Journalists Association and has been the root of journalism for 170 years. To see the code in full, click on the following link: http://www.smh.com.au/ethicscode/index.html.
In contrast, I find The Age's code of conduct easy to comprehend, understand and relate to. The way the editor has structured the clauses allow for it to be easily read by journalists, students or any member of the public. I think it's important to break up the issues of professional and personal practice as although they are similar, there are also many differences. Here are a few examples of the clauses in which I find particularly interesting and relevant.
Professional Practice
1. Staff should seek to act always in the best interests of the public and the maintenance of good faith with the community we serve, rather than for the benefit of sectional interests.
2. The public interest includes investigating and exposing crime, serious misdemeanour and seriously anti-social conduct, and investigating and exposing hypocrisy, falsehoods or double standards of behavior by public figures or institutions. It also includes protecting public health and safety.
3. Staff should seek to present only fair, balanced and accurate material.
4. Direct quotations should not be changed to alter their context or meaning.
5. Where a significant inaccuracy or distortion has been published, The Age should publish a correction or clarification promptly.
6. Photographs should be a true representation of events. Photographs should be used in context, captions should be fair and accurate, and digitally enhanced images and illustrations must be clearly labelled.
7. Where they relate to The Age, judgments by the Australian Press Council and other such bodies, and the outcome of defamation actions, should be reported promptly.
8. Editorial material should distinguish for the reader between that which is comment, that which is verified fact and that which is speculation.
9. All commentary and analysis should meet the same standards of factual accuracy as news reports.
10. Sources promised confidentiality must be protected at all costs. However, where possible, the sources of information should be identified as specifically as possible.
11. Only fair and honest means should be used to obtain material. Misrepresentation and the use of concealed equipment or surveillance devices should be avoided. The use of deceptive methods or subterfuge may be condoned only where the Editor is convinced that the potential story is of vital public interest and there is no other way of obtaining the story.
In such cases, the journalist has the right to decline an assignment. If the journalist accepts the assignment, the nature of deceptive methods and the reasons for their use must be published with the story. Journalists deployed in this manner will be indemnified by The Age.
12. People's privacy should be respected and intrusions on privacy should be published only if there is a public interest.
13. Caution should be exercised about reporting and publishing identifying details, such as street names and numbers, that may enable others to intrude on the privacy or safety of people who have become the subject of media coverage.
14. People should be treated with sensitivity during periods of grief and trauma and wherever possible, be approached through an intermediary.
15. Care should be taken when producing and publishing material on the anniversary of traumatic events or crimes not to cause undue distress to the victims or their families.
16. Photographs of victims or grieving people should not be published unless due consideration has been given to issues of sensitivity and privacy. Any restrictions placed on the use of photographs supplied by family or friends should be honored.
17. Gratuitous references to the state of a victim's body or body parts should not be published.
18. The Age will not publish individual cases of suicide, unless issues of public safety or the wider public interest justify it. Care should be taken when reporting methods of suicide and, wherever possible, public information on where to gain help must accompany such reports.
19. Extortion threats should not be published, unless issues of public safety or the wider public interest justify it.
20. The Age will not publish details of the manufacture or use of firearms or other weapons, or of illegal drugs, unless issues of public safety or the wider public interest justify them.
21. Special care should be taken when dealing with children (under the age of 16). The Editor must be informed when children have been photographed or interviewed without parental consent.
22. The Age does not condone chequebook journalism. It will disclose any instance when it has paid for information. Payment for information should be avoided, unless an appropriate senior editor believes there is a strong public interest and there is no alternative to payment. In cases where payment is deemed by the Editor to be in the public interest, the fact of payment should be published.
23. The Age does not condone staff breaking laws in the course of performing their duties. Nor is the paper liable for any such action.
Personal Behavior
1. The Age should ensure that staff have equal opportunity to develop their skills.
2. The company is obliged to provide a healthy and safe working environment. Staff are to have due regard to the health and safety of work colleagues, and observe occupational health and safety laws.
3. The Age values its reputation for independence and integrity. Staff are reminded that some activities outside work hours could have an impact on the standing of The Age.
4. Alcohol should not be consumed while at the work station. Staff members should not be under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol while at work.
5. No one should be harassed or discriminated against on the grounds of gender, sexual preference, race, color, nationality, religious belief, impairment, age, height, weight, marital status, pregnancy or being childless or having children. The Age supports and adheres to state and Commonwealth equal opportunity and anti-discrimination legislation.
6. Staff should immediately inform the Editor if, as an employee of The Age, they intend to:
give evidence to any court.
chair public forums or seminars arranged by professional conference organisers.
take part in interviews or debates for other media organisations.
undertake any outside employment likely to conflict with their professional duties at The Age.
7. Managers with access to personal information relating to other members of staff are required to treat such information as confidential, and not disclose it to anyone except in the course of discharging formal responsibilities.
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