In ethical journalism practices, who really makes the ‘call’?

“…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.”

- Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics

In light of the recent news regarding the Brett Favre “sexting” scandal, journalists have once again been forced to consider the value of ethics in public relations….or have they?

It seems to be more apparent that journalists and public relations professionals are continuously “pushing” what is considered moral behavior in order to get their stories and reach their objectives. It may be important to stop and ask the question, ‘How far is too far?’ Does it really matter if we cross boundaries that are unwritten or unclear?

We all know that ethical behavior is the “right” thing to do. However, in today’s media world, where boundaries are often vague or nonexistent, who determines which methods and practices are ethical and which are not? Some argue that organizations such as the Society of Professional Journalism and the American Journalism Review to make the calls as to what defines ethical behavior and practices. There are some widely accepted rules and basics to ethical practices, as outlined in Society of Professional Journalists' (SPJ) Code of Ethics.

Yet no matter how much and to what extent ethical behavior is outlined by textbooks and professional organizations, there will always be situations which require a personal, moral level of ethical decision making, leaving the real power in the hands of individual journalists and reporters. Not only is it the responsibility of each media professional to practice ethical reporting on a broad scale for legal purposes, but also to commit themselves to the free flow of unbiased information by means of moral and principled information-seeking tactics.

What then can be done to combat unethical reporting? Journalist Jonathan Bernstein outlines an appropriate method to respond to breaches of ethical behaviors. By responding to and calling out journalists who may have violated the rules of ethical practices, we can promote a safe, confidential, and free-flowing source of quality information to our publics.

Kate Sherwood

University of Minnesota
Jour 3279
Blog Assignment