Chapter 16 "Ethical journalism, is it an oxymoron?"

1/ The AJA Code of Ethics states that journalists should not use their position for personal gain. The USA Code of ethics from the society of professional journalists says that nothing of value should be accepted and that gifts, favours, fees, free travel and special treatment should be refused. Some Australian papers require journalists to immediately report any conflict of interest which may be presented by accepting this money. The journalist should try to negotiate with the source and make all possible effort to dissuade them from paying you. If this fails it would be unethical to use the source and take their money. However, as a believer in situation ethics, I would determine my action based on the potential information from the source. If the information was of great public interest, I would have to consider the greater good and suspend ethical consideration.

2/ This is an example of why the Sydney Morning Herald bans trips paid for by airlines and limits charity towards reporters. Doing this removes any possibility of obligation to report favourably on those who have provided you services. A journalists guiding principle is public interest and if the trip was so bad that it put people in danger or at risk then it would be necessary to report the poorness of the flight. The purist would say no such trip should be taken unless paid for by the newspaper to avoid a conflict of interest, however very few papers would pay for such a trip. Review the contract, if it is a requirement to provide a footnote of the airline include it, it does not necessarily have to be positive or negative. It is a difficult decision but an ethical journalist should not be bought and should not lie about the trip.

3/ Too many newspapers are reluctant to admit their mistakes. An inaccuracy is not always an ethical breach. "Honest mistakes are not breaches. It is possible to be ethical and factually wrong." All mistakes should be corrected rather than covered up by newspapers. Their duty is to fact and to the public and the only ethical solution is to print a correction.

4/ While it is the duty of a journalist to report the truth, fairly and objectively, journalists are also human. Again situational ethics are applicable in that it would cause more damage than good to run the story. It may be possible to write the story without any names or specifics for the greater good.