This is from the first day of "Putting Children in the Right," a training program I conducted with UNICEF Belize and the University of the West Indies, Open Campus, Belize. November 2011. There is specific reference to children and youth. We were looking at codes of ethics and standards of practice from other countries as a means of encouraging Belizean journalists to form a media association.

1. “
UNICEF Belize &
The University of the West Indies Open Campus, Belize

2. What do we mean by
“Standards?”
something considered by an authority or by
general consent as a basis of comparison; an
approved model
rules or principles used as a basis for judgment
those morals, ethics, habits, etc., established by
authority, custom, or an individual as acceptable

3. Who decides on
standards?
Individuals
Society
Profession
Peers
Opinion leaders

4. Professional v. Official
Standards
Journalists may decide have share a consensus on
standards of professional practice of news coverage
Governments usually apply official regulations to
ensure standards for BROADCASTERS.
Because the airwaves are “public”
Government grants broadcast licenses and has a stake
in protecting and guaranteeing the public’s rights and
interests

5. Journalistic Standards
Often closely tied to ETHICS
Usually a matter of self-regulation
Hard to enforce
Case by case?
Evolving with technology?

6. “Problem” People
A 1994 study by researchers from Stanford University
found:
Children are largely portrayed in the news as "problem
people" - people who either cause problems or have
problems - concludes a new analysis of the content of
child-related newspaper and television news programs.
Stories about crime and violence were found to make up
40 percent of the child-related coverage across various
newspaper and television formats….

7. “Problem” People
Stanford study found:

8. International Federation
of Journalists
Adopted formal guidelines for news coverage of children in 2001
(2nd World Congress against Commercial Exploitation of Children
held at Yokohama, Japan)
Based on of codes of conduct and standards already in use across
the world.
Preamble (excerpt)
“To do their job of informing the public effectively, journalists must be fully
aware of the need to protect children and to enhance their rights without in
any way damaging freedom of expression or interfering with the fabric of
journalistic independence. Journalists must also be provided with training to
achieve high ethical standards.”

9. International Federation
of Journalists
Guidelines and Principles for Reporting on
Issues Involving Children

10. International Federation
of Journalists
Guidelines and Principles for Reporting on
Issues Involving Children

11. International Federation
of Journalists
Guidelines and Principles for Reporting on
Issues Involving Children

12. International Federation
of Journalists
Guidelines and Principles for Reporting on
Issues Involving Children

13. International Federation
of Journalists
Guidelines and Principles for Reporting on
Issues Involving Children
“Media should not consider and report the
conditions of children only as events but should
continuously report the process likely to lead or
leading to the occurrence of these events.”

14. Jamaica
A Code of Practice (first draft 2005, revised
2010)
Developed by the Media Association of Jamaica &
the Press Association of Jamaica
Defines the role of the press
Includes 15 provisions
Including TWO related specifically to children

15. Jamaica: Code of Practice
“Declaration” includes STANDARDS of
professional practice
Specifically includes EDITORS, JOURNALISTS,
PUBLISHERS AND BROADCASTERS
Provides for recourse to a MEDIA COMPLAINTS
COUNCIL

16. Jamaica: Code of Practice
Standards
EDITORS, JOURNALISTS, PUBLISHERS AND
BROADCASTERS pledge to:
prevent violations of the standards
ensure that the Code is observed rigorously by all their
contributors
agree to cooperate as swiftly as possible with media
complaints bodies, where they exist, in the resolution of
complaints.

17. Jamaica: Code of Practice
Fifteen provisions – TWO about children
4) Journalists shall not:
a. Interview or photograph children under the age of 18 on a subject
involving the personal welfare of the child, in the absence of and without the
consent of a parent or other adult who is responsible for the
b.Report on the private life of a child based solely on the family‟s notoriety
or the status of the child‟s parents or guardians.
c.Approach, photograph or interview children at school without the
permission of the school authorities.
d. Photograph or interview children at crime scenes or at protest
demonstrations unless due care is taken to avoid any exploitation of the
children.

18. Jamaica: Code of Practice
Fifteen provisions – TWO about children
5) CHILDREN IN CRIMINAL CASES
a. The Press should not identify children under the
age of 18 who are involved in cases concerning
sexual offences, whether as victims or as witnesses
or defendants n a trial.

19. Jamaica: Code of Practice
Fifteen provisions – TWO about children
5) CHILDREN IN CRIMINAL CASES
b.In any news report of a case involving a sexual
offence by an adult against a child:
i.The child should not be identified.
ii.The adult may be identified if such identification would
not cause the identity of the child to be revealed.

20. Jamaica: Code of Practice
Fifteen provisions – TWO about children
5) CHILDREN IN CRIMINAL CASES
b. In any news report of a case involving a sexual offence by an adult
against a child
iii. In cases of incest, for the purposes of the protection of the
identification the child, the term “incest,” should never be used.
• 1. The offence of incest should be described as
"serious offences against a young child", “sexual
assault of a child” or similar appropriate wording.
• 2. Care should be taken that nothing in the report
implies the family relationship between the
accused and the child.

21. Jamaica: Code of Practice
Fifteen provisions – TWO about children
5) CHILDREN IN CRIMINAL CASES
b. In any news report of a case involving a sexual offence
by an adult against a child
iv. Children who are victims or witnesses to violent
crime should not be interviewed about what they
experienced or saw unless it is clearly in the public
interest and only with the consent and in the presence
of an adult.

22. South Africa
South African Press Code
Press Council of South Africa
Few specifics about children & youth
1.7.2 Child pornography shall not be published. 1.8 The identity of rape
victims and victims of sexual violence shall not be published without the
consent of the victim.
1.9 News obtained by dishonest or unfair means, or the publication of
which would involve a breach of confidence, should not be published
unless a legitimate public interest dictates otherwise.
1.10 In both news and comment the press shall exercise exceptional care
and consideration in matters involving the private lives and concerns of
individuals, bearing in mind that any right to privacy may be overridden only
by a legitimate public interest.

23. South Africa
The Independent Communications Authority of SA's Code
of Conduct for Broadcasters
Defines children as “persons below 16”
Mainly specifies rules for non-journalistic programming
Provides for a “watershed” period, between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Restrictions on programming with “violence, sexually explicit
conduct and/or offensive language intended for adults”
Parental advisories

24. South Africa
The Independent Communications Authority of SA's
Code of Conduct for Broadcasters
Children “embraces a wide range of maturity and
sophistication, and in interpreting this Code it is
legitimate for licensees to distinguish, if
appropriate those approaching adulthood from a
much younger, pre-teenage audience.”

25. South Africa
The Independent Communications Authority of SA's Code
of Conduct for Broadcasters
Broadcasters shall not broadcast material unsuitable for
children at times when large numbers of children may be
expected to be part of the audience.
Broadcasters shall exercise particular caution in the
depiction of violence in children's programming
In children's programming portrayed by real-life
characters, violence shall, whether physical, verbal or
emotional, only be portrayed when it is essential to the
development of a character and plot.

26. South Africa
The Independent Communications Authority of SA's Code of
Conduct for Broadcasters
Animated programming for children…shall not have violence as its central
theme, and shall not invite dangerous imitation.
Programming for children shall with due care deal with themes which could
threaten their sense of security, when portraying, for example, domestic
conflict, death, crime or the use of drugs.
Programming for children shall with due care deal with themes which could
invite children to imitate acts which they see on screen or hear about, such
as the use of plastic bags as toys, use of matches, the use of dangerous
household products as playthings, or other dangerous physical acts.

27. South Africa
The Independent Communications Authority of SA's Code of
Conduct for Broadcasters
Programming for children shall not contain realistic scenes of
violence which create the impression that violence is the preferred
or only method to resolve conflict between individuals.
Programming for children shall not contain realistic scenes of
violence which minimise or gloss over the effect of violent acts.
Any realistic depictions of violence shall portray, in human
terms, the consequences of that violence to its victims and its
perpetrators.
Programming for children shall not contain frightening or otherwise
excessive special effects not required by the story line.

28. USA
The Society of Professional Journalists
About 8,000 members
Largest professional organization for journalists
“Code of Ethics”
Widely accepted by industry and academe
Basis for many other media-specific codes

29. USA
The Society of Professional Journalists, SPJ
Code of Ethics
4 Provisions
Seek the truth and report it
Minimize harm
Act independently
Be accountable

30. USA
The Society of Professional Journalists
Code of Ethics
Seek the truth and report it
Avoid stereotyping by
race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual
orientation, disability, physical appearance or social
status.
Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial
sources of information can be equally valid.

31. USA
The Society of Professional Journalists
Code of Ethics
Minimize harm
Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely
by news coverage.
Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and
inexperienced sources or subjects
Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or
photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief
Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of
sex crimes.

32. USA
Radio Television Digital News Association:
RTDNA
Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
Guidelines for Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
Guidelines for Breaking News Events
Guidelines for Amber Alerts
Social Media and Blogging Guidelines

33. Who decides on
journalism standards in
Belize?
Individual journalists
The boss
The owner
The audience