Defending and describing standards and best practices.

1. Codes of ethics
Defining and describing
standards and best practices

2. Professions with ethical codes

3. Professions with ethical codes
• Doctors

4. Professions with ethical codes
• Doctors
• Lawyers

5. Professions with ethical codes
• Doctors
• Lawyers
• Engineers, etc.

6. Sanctions for violations
• Loss of license

7. Sanctions for violations
• Loss of license
• What is to stop someone from setting up practice
without a license?

8. Sanctions for violations
• Loss of license
• What is to stop someone from setting up practice
without a license?
• Government enforcement

9. The great debate
• Is journalism a
profession?

10. The great debate
• Is journalism a
profession?
• Can it be a profession
without violating the
First Amendment?

11. The great debate
• Is journalism a
profession?
• Can it be a profession
without violating the
First Amendment?
• Can we have a binding
code of ethics?

12. The rise of professionalism
• Adolph Ochs and
The New York Times

13. The rise of professionalism
• Adolph Ochs and
The New York Times
• Yellow journalist
Joseph Pulitzer seeks a
legacy

14. The rise of professionalism
• Adolph Ochs and
The New York Times
• Yellow journalist
Joseph Pulitzer seeks a
legacy
• Sigma Delta Chi (now
SPJ) founded in 1909

15. Walter Lippmann
• Argues for educated
journalists and a
reliance on experts

16. Walter Lippmann
• Argues for educated
journalists and a
reliance on experts
• Conceived of objectivity
as a disinterested
pursuit of the truth

17. Walter Lippmann
• Argues for educated
journalists and a
reliance on experts
• Conceived of objectivity
as a disinterested
pursuit of the truth
• “There can be no liberty
for a community which
lacks the information by
which to detect lies”

18. “Canons of Journalism” (1922)
• Developed by the American Society of
Newspaper Editors
• Revised in 1975, now called the “Statement of
Principles”

19. “Canons of Journalism” (1922)
• Article 1: Responsibility

20. “Canons of Journalism” (1922)
• Article 1: Responsibility
• Article 2: Freedom of the press

21. “Canons of Journalism” (1922)
• Article 1: Responsibility
• Article 2: Freedom of the press
• Article 3: Independence

22. “Canons of Journalism” (1922)
• Article 1: Responsibility
• Article 2: Freedom of the press
• Article 3: Independence
• Article 4: Truth and accuracy

23. “Canons of Journalism” (1922)
• Article 1: Responsibility
• Article 2: Freedom of the press
• Article 3: Independence
• Article 4: Truth and accuracy
• Article 5: Impartiality

24. “Canons of Journalism” (1922)
• Article 1: Responsibility
• Article 2: Freedom of the press
• Article 3: Independence
• Article 4: Truth and accuracy
• Article 5: Impartiality
• Article 6: Fair play

25. Discussion
• Where is objectivity?

26. Discussion
• Where is objectivity?
• If the code isn’t
binding, what good is
it?

27. Discussion
• Where is objectivity?
• If the code isn’t
binding, what good is
it?
• If the code is common
sense, why have there
been so many
scandals?

28. SPJ Code of Ethics
• Borrowed from ASNE in 1926
• Current code adopted in 1996
• Four broad areas

29. SPJ Code of Ethics
• Borrowed from ASNE in 1926
• Current code adopted in 1996
• Four broad areas
– Seek Truth and Report It

30. SPJ Code of Ethics
• Borrowed from ASNE in 1926
• Current code adopted in 1996
• Four broad areas
– Seek Truth and Report It
– Minimize Harm

31. SPJ Code of Ethics
• Borrowed from ASNE in 1926
• Current code adopted in 1996
• Four broad areas
– Seek Truth and Report It
– Minimize Harm
– Act Independently

32. SPJ Code of Ethics
• Borrowed from ASNE in 1926
• Current code adopted in 1996
• Four broad areas
– Seek Truth and Report It
– Minimize Harm
– Act Independently
– Be Accountable