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Journalistic ethics aren't just abstract ideals—they're the foundation of everything you'll be tested on in newswriting. When exam questions ask you to evaluate a reporter's decision or identify problems in a story, they're really testing whether you understand why certain practices exist. These principles connect directly to concepts like credibility, public trust, the watchdog function of the press, and the tension between the public's right to know and individual rights.
Think of ethics as the decision-making framework that separates journalism from propaganda, gossip, or PR. You're being tested on your ability to recognize ethical dilemmas, weigh competing values, and justify choices using professional standards. Don't just memorize a list of principles—know which principle applies to which scenario and how they sometimes conflict with each other.
These principles address journalism's core mission: getting the story right. Accuracy and proper attribution form the bedrock of credibility—without them, nothing else matters.
Compare: Accuracy vs. Attribution—both protect credibility, but accuracy is about getting facts right while attribution is about giving credit. A story can be accurate but still plagiarized. If an exam asks about fabrication scandals (like Jayson Blair), both principles were violated.
Journalism only works if audiences trust that reporters aren't being manipulated. These principles protect the newsroom's autonomy from outside pressure and internal bias.
Compare: Objectivity vs. Independence—objectivity is about how you report, while independence is about who influences your decisions. A reporter can be independent but still write with bias, or be objective while facing external pressure. Exams often test whether you can identify which principle is at stake.
These principles govern how journalists answer for their work. Transparency builds trust by showing your work; accountability means owning the consequences.
Compare: Transparency vs. Source Protection—these principles can directly conflict. Transparency says show your work; source protection says some things must stay hidden. Exams love this tension. Know that source protection usually wins when a source's safety is at risk, but transparency wins when audiences need to evaluate credibility.
Journalism can hurt people. These principles help reporters weigh the public benefit of a story against the damage it might cause.
Compare: Minimizing Harm vs. Fairness—both protect subjects, but harm minimization asks "should we publish this at all?" while fairness asks "are we representing everyone involved accurately?" A story can be fair to all parties but still cause unnecessary harm, or minimize harm but unfairly exclude perspectives.
| Concept | Best Examples |
|---|---|
| Truth-seeking | Accuracy, Fact-checking, Attribution |
| Independence | Objectivity, External influence resistance, Conflict avoidance |
| Accountability | Transparency, Source protection |
| Harm reduction | Minimizing harm, Privacy respect, Fairness |
| Credibility protection | Accuracy, Transparency, Independence |
| Rights balancing | Privacy vs. public interest, Source protection vs. transparency |
| Professional boundaries | Conflict avoidance, Independence, Source protection |
A reporter discovers her cousin works for a company she's been assigned to investigate. Which two principles apply, and what should she do?
Compare and contrast transparency and source protection. Under what circumstances might these principles conflict, and how would a journalist resolve the tension?
A newsroom receives pressure from a major advertiser to soften coverage of a product recall. Which principles are at stake, and why does independence matter for the press's watchdog function?
Which three principles most directly protect a news organization's credibility, and how does each contribute differently?
An editor must decide whether to publish photos of grieving families after a tragedy. Using minimizing harm and public interest, outline the ethical framework for making this decision.