This document discusses codes of ethics for mass media. It states that codes can help guide appropriate behavior and protect media from criticism. The document then outlines a general code of ethics which includes principles like objectivity, seeking truth, avoiding plagiarism and stereotyping, minimizing harm, and getting multiple sides of a story. It emphasizes accuracy in reporting and fact checking. The next lecture will cover Islamic codes of ethics for media.

1. Mass Media Ethics: Needs and
Scope
Lecture # 2
Abid Zafar

2. • For both the media industry as a whole and
for individuals within it, codes can also help
keep attention directed toward principles that
are particularly important as guidelines for
appropriate behaviour.
• Codes can help professionals develop a sense
of what it means to work ethically.

3. • Codes can also help to protect the mass media
and media practitioners from unrealistic
expectations and criticisms
• Codes can help make the media more
accountable
• Codes can sharpen the focus on ethical issues
that people in all branches of the media must
face regularly

4. General Code of Ethics for Mass
Media
1. Objectivity
separation between news and opinion
separation between advertisements and news
Reporter must avoid conflicts of interest
2. Seek the Truth and Report It
• Journalists should be honest, fair and
courageous in gathering, reporting and
interpreting information

5. Cont…
• sources' reliability
• Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged
news events
3. Never plagiarize
• Examine their own cultural values
• Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age,
religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual,
orientation, disability, physical appearance or
social status

6. Cont…
• Give voice to the voiceless
4. Minimize harm
• Ensure facts are correct by getting verification
from multiple sources.
• Try to contact the subject of the article
whenever possible.
• Not publish an article based solely on
speculation, hunches or wild guesses.

7. Cont…
5. Avoid misrepresentation
6. Get all sides of a story
7. Respect anonymity
8. Independence
9. Neutrality
10. Truthful
11. Accountable

8. Cont…
12. Accuracy and standards for factual reporting
• Reporters are expected to be as accurate as
possible
• Independent fact-checking by another employee
of the publisher is desirable
• Corrections are published when errors are
discovered
• Opinion surveys and statistical information
deserve special treatment to communicate in
precise terms any conclusions

9. Next Lecture
Islamic Code of Ethics
for Media