My Personal Code of Ethics

My Personal Code of Ethics

1. Be truthful

“Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth” (Elements of Journalism p36). Therefore it is important to reveal the truth to society in order to benefit the people. My first concern should be to dig deeper into stories in order to divulge functional truths to society, ultimately giving them a better sense of security for their surroundings: “Truthfulness creates, in effect, the sense of security that grows from awareness and is at the essence of news” (Elements of Journalism p37). Furthermore, if I always adhere to telling the truth, I will hopefully gain the trust of my readers which is crucial for building a pristine reputation.

2. Be an advocate to society

Although most journalists technically work for their news station, their “first loyalty is to citizens”. (Elements of Journalism p52). Therefore, I must always remember to act as a voice for the people, and this can be done by covering topics that the people want and need to know about: “The notion that those who report the news are not obstructed from digging up and telling the truth-even at the expense of the owners’ other financial interests- is a prerequisite of telling the news not only accurately but also persuasively. It is the basis for why citizens believe a news organization” (Elements of Journalism p53). If I consistently make the interest of the people a priority in my journalism practices then I will not only gain more readership, but also further advance the faith that society has in journalism.

3. Remain objective

I must always keep my opinions and personal biases out of the stories that I cover. By remaining objective at all times I can cover both sides of an argument and ultimately allow the people to form their own opinions based off of what they read. “Journalists don’t tell people what to think, they just tell them what to think about.” (Author unknown). I like this quote because it highlights the importance of objectivity in journalism. As a voice for the people I will have the power to create awareness on various issues, and this should be where my power stops. I should not try to sued people on what to believe, but rather place the issues before them and allow them to make up their own minds.

4. Be independent

I must always strive to be as independent as possible when writing stories. Although I will most likely work for some type of newspaper or news station, it is crucial that I remember that I represent the people/station I’m working for. Therefore I must refrain from participating in any controversial issues or protests because these actions could result in people not trusting my work. I will aim to produce unbiased work so that my readers can make up their own minds about the issues I will cover. In addition, I need to make sure that the social media outlets that I use convey my vow for independence.

5. Be a watchdog for the public

I need to use my role as a journalist to serve the people and essentially act as a watchdog for the public. “Journalists must serve as an independent monitor of power” (The Elements of Journalism p140). This statement is important because it illustrates the idea that as a journalist I need to independently monitor the role of the government, and produce stories that highlight any corrupt actions that are taking place within the country: “… the press acts as a watchdog when it independently scrutinizes the workings of powerful institutions and provides an incentive for them to work for the public good” (The Press p 118). This statement illustrates the importance of the watchdog service which is to keep the government in check, and gain the trust of the people because they will know that journalists are striving to keep them informed.

6. Be accountable for the stories you produce

“We will be held accountable for all that we say. The Savior has warned “that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matt. 12:36.) This means that no communication shall be without consequence” (L. Lionel Kendrick). As a journalist I will need to be accountable for the stories that I produce. Therefore, if I am not certain on all the facts or information on a story then I should not produce it because it could damage my reputation. Furthermore, if something I produce raises questions, then I need to take responsibility for it and try to correct my mistake. "My belief is that personal freedom cannot grow beyond personal responsibility. The more people that learn to be fully accountable for their lives, the more freedom each of us can enjoy and the more fulfilling all of our lives will be." (Reed Konsler)

7. Do not compromise your morals for a better story

I will never compromise my morals for a better story. Growing up a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints, I have learned guiding principles that will and have helped me become a better person, as well as a better member of society. These principles can and will help me be a better journalist. I will never deny the things that I have been taught, and I will avoid situations in my work field that will cause me to leave my morals behind: “In the moral realm the only real control you have is self-control” (Jeffery R Holland).

8. Be a good writer

I will always give the people my best work. Society needs journalists who are willing to put all of their effort into creating good stories. This includes the aspect of good writing because no one will want to read anything that is not my best. In regards to good writing, Elmore Leonard once said, “I try to leave out the parts that people skip.” This quote illustrates the goal of journalism which is to create well-written stories that get people excited to read. I believe that news should be exciting for people to read and this can only be done through great writing.

9. Do good research

As a journalist I need to make sure that I have all of my facts straight before I produce a story, and this can be done through good research. “I see journalists as the manual workers, the laborers of the word. Journalism can only be literature when it is passionate” (Marguerite Duras). Although thorough research can be tedious at times, if I want to be passionate about informing the public then I need to be passionate about conducting thorough research. Furthermore, good research leads to good unbiased stories which society needs in order to trust journalism.

Journalism and Faith

I feel that society can put faith in journalism if journalists leave faith out of their stories. Earlier in the semester we talked about the importance of objectivity in journalism. It is important for journalists to keep their biases and opinions out of their stories so that readers can make up their own opinions about various topics. I feel that if journalists try to implement their faith into journalism then the truth can become biased and swayed to the point where it is lost all together.

That being said, I also feel that if faith is newsworthy then it's okay to incorporate it into stories. However, journalists should never implement their beliefs into their work if it does not pertain to what is being covered.

In class we saw an example of an LDS news anchor who used a quote from and LDS apostle when covering a story on a non LDS governor (that's a lot of LDS's). I do not feel that this was harmful because the anchor did not promote his religion at all, but rather used a quote that fit with the story. However, I do not agree with the anchor's decision to promote his use of quote on his Facebook page. I feel that this action promoted his faith which had nothing to do with the story.

After doing some research on this topic it is apparent that if journalists have to cover religious topics they should treat the topics as they would any other subject and remain as neutral as possible: "You try to tell the story as best you can, covering the church the way you would City Hall or the White House" (John L. Allen Jr, Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter). It is interesting to see that even writers for the National Catholic Hall believe that remaining neutral is crucial to journalism (see full story here).

In addition, this article also points out that religious journalists might not be all that bad. This is because many religious journalists use their church's morals as they go about their journalistic endeavors: "You cannot practice Christianity and a journalism that takes away dignity, that has no compassion, that exploits pain and misery. That’s not good journalism, and it’s certainly not anything that Christ taught" (Terry Anderson, formerly of the Associated Press). I feel that this statement rings true because many journalists will write or refuse to write several stories based on their religious moral principles.

I believe that religion in journalism can be very tricky. Religious people are usually passionate about their beliefs, and usually want to share their viewpoints with others. However, because journalists have to be neutral in their reporting, it can be very challenging to figure out when it is appropriate to share their beliefs with others.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I am very opinionated when it comes to my faith. Furthermore, as members of this church we are often encouraged to seek out and share our beliefs with the people around us. However, as a future broadcast journalist it is crucial that I find a balance of sharing my beliefs and remaining neutral.

Ethical Journalism

Last class period we discussed ethical situations in journalism and when it's appropriate for journalists to create stories. We went over various scenarios in which one could question the ethics that were used in the journalism tactics. One example which raises questions on the code of ethics that journalists adhere to took place in 1954 when Dr. Sam Sheppard was convicted of murdering his wife and sentenced to 12 years in prison. This case raises questions on the ethics of the journalism because the media covered the case so heavily that they created a biased jury which lead to Sheppard's sentence. I feel that journalists need to know when to not take stories too far. I don't think it was right for them to take a side on a murder case, sway the public on the ruling, and ultimately create the ruling for the jury. Journalists are not judges and therefore have no authority to sentence people before they are given a fair trial.
While I do not believe that there is true objectivity in journalism because opinions can leak out even in journalist writing styles, I feel that journalists are ethical if they do their best to remain neutral in their writing and allow their audience to create their own opinion from news stories.
I want to become a broadcast journalist and it will therefore be necessary for me to adhere to a code of ethics as I gather and create packages for the public. I feel that honesty is one of the most important qualities that I will strive for in my future profession. I feel that if I am honest with the public I will gain their trust and respect which will not only keep them more informed on what's occurring in society, but it could also create an increase in the number of views that my station will get. One example of dishonest journalism took place at the Walstreet Journal when one of the writers wrote a completely one-sided series in hopes of obtaining the Pulitzer Prize. I feel that cases like this are extremely unethical, and journalists should never sway facts in order to win awards for their work. Click here for another example of unethical journalism which springs out of "pack journalism" which is when a bunch of reporters cover the same story.

Watchdog Journalism

Last Thursday we discussed the idea of investigative reporting which can be defined as, "uncovering and documenting activities that have been previously unknown to the public." Although many would argue that this type of journalism can be unethical because it can put people and businesses in a bad light, if executed correctly I feel that investigative journalism is what enables journalists to maintain their "watchdog" reputation because they are able to inform society through rigorous journalism tactics.
In my Comms 300 class we learned about the ethics and laws behind undercover reporting (which can be classified as a specific type of investigative journalism). During our lesson on this topic my professor brought up the civil case with Food Lion and ABC News which serves as an example of watchdog journalism, but also leaves room for discussion on the ethics that were put in to practice in this case.
In the early 1990’s producers working for an ABC news television magazine program decided to investigate unsanitary practices at the Food Lion grocery chain. With the the approval of many within ABC, producers decided that the best way to investigate the store’s practices was to have reporters infiltrate the store as employees. Two female news reporters applied for jobs at Food Lion using false names and invented work histories. The plan worked. Both women were hired, one in North Carolina and the other in South Carolina. To document their findings the producers used hidden miniature cameras and microphones. Their story, complete with video recordings aired on Nov 5 1992 on ABC’s Primetime Live. The report documented allegedly unsanitary meat-handling practices at the stores and was sharply critical of Food Lion.
Food Lion denied the accusations and then filed a law suit against ABC. Food Lion waged its legal battle on the newsgathering front, alleging fraud, trespass, unfair trade practices and breach of duty of loyalty. At trial, the jury sided with Food Lion, however ABC appealed. By a vote of 2 to 1 a three-judge panel of the federal appeals court reversed the verdict for food lion on all but the trespass and breach of loyalty claims. in the end, food lion was awarded a total of two dollars.
I feel that watchdog journalism can become a heated debate when issues like this come about. While this case was useful for informing the public about the unsanitary food handling that was taking place, many would argue that the methods used to obtain this information were unethical and therefore it should not be reported. This is just one of many watchdog examples in which questionable journalism tactics were used in order to uncover a story.
In conclusion, I feel that the idea of watchdog journalism is essential to our society. We need people who are willing to dig up information in order to let the public know what's actually going on. In addition, this practice will keep people on guard and hopefully encourage them to behave more ethically.

Independence and Journalism

Last week in class we discussed the idea of Independence and journalism. In The Elements of Journalism it states that "Journalists must maintain and independence form those they cover" (118). I believe that this idea is crucial in good journalism because society deserves to hear the truth and if journalists add their own biases to their stories then the truth gets watered down until it is eventually lost (click here for an example of bias in photo journalism). One example that I came across this week which illustrates what happens when journalists are not independent from the news is in the movie, Citizen Kane. In this movie, Charles Foster Kane, a wealthy and powerful businessman, uses his fortune to take over the press and essentially uses the news to manipulate the public in order to benefit himself. Kane’s journalism lacks the basic elements that modern journalism requires in order to be validated by the public. Furthermore, he refutes all forms of the code of ethics that journalists today live by in order to make their work more reliable to the public.
We learned earlier that “Journalism's first loyalty is to citizens.” (Elements 52). Therefore, reporters need to claim neutrality when reporting in order to keep their biases out of the news so that the public can make up their own minds on what to believe. Kane used journalism to advance his reputation and standing in society. He was manipulative and he used his power to trick the public into thinking whatever he wanted. Therefore, he serves as an example of the negative role that journalists can play in society and the power and influence they have in helping the public to formulate opinions and ideas (even if those opinions are false and corrupt).
In addition to Citizen Kane, the idea of remaining independent is crucial to me because I want to go into the broadcast journalism field. In order to produce effective stories, I need to remain neutral and keep my opinion out of the news. The public are smart enough to realize when the media is trying to sway their opinion, if I were to include one sided opinions from a story in order to convey my viewpoint people would eventually figure me out and lose trust in me.
I thoroughly enjoyed the guest speaker because I felt that he was able to give an honest insider's perspective on these topics. Furthermore, I thought it was interesting when he discussed the fact that biases will leak out of the news no matter what and this is because you will always have a boss (who might not care about remaining independent from the news) who will tell you what stories you can cover.
In addition, after researching this topic further it appears that bias in the news occurs more than people realize (especially on controversial topics like global warming).

verification of journalism and the function of the press in democracy

Earlier this week we discussed the importance of journalists verifying their sources as well as the role that the press plays in democracy. I feel that as Americans we should feel privileged to live in a country that promotes freedom of speech and press, and in order to respect that freedom we should try to put forth our best and most honorable work.
One example for why people should verify their sources is Paul Dunn. A member of the quorum of the 70 for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dunn was widely known for his amazing stories. Dunn spoke on his days playing major league baseball for the St. Louis Cardnals, as well as wild WWII stories in which he had narowly escaped death. It wasn't until 1990 that people (including the press) began to question the validity of Dunn's stories. After conducting research a number of investigators accussed Dunn of lying and fabricating most of his stories. Dunn later admited to this but defended his argument by stating that his stories were meant to be Christ-like parables which often represented more meaningful messages.
Although unfortunate, this event illustrates the importance of verifying sources. Dunn was a highly regarded religious figure and his stories helped shape the testimonies of a vast amount of members during that time. The news that Dunn had been lying to the members was earth-shattering to many and caused many of them to question the integrity of the entire church. Furthermore, this scandal was a huge embarassment to the church, who was Dunn's biggest affiliation.
If there is one thing that we can learn from this story it is that if you want to maintain the trust of your audience as well as a good reputation, then it is essential to verify sources. In addition, I feel that because of the freedoms that we as Americans enjoy we should aim to provide the public with the best and most truthful stories possible. Of all people, Dunn should have been verifying his sources because he not only enjoys the freedom of speech, press, but also of religion. And I feel that when these three freedoms are intertwined the truth should always be the number one concern.

Journalism as a Profession

Last November I did a feature story on the opening of the In-N-Out branch in Orem UT. It was one of my first broadcasting stories so I was extremely nervous yet excited to be finally involved in the "thick" of what I love. I arrived on scene, mini camera in hand, and shot hours of long lines, busy workers, and hungry customers (I'll admit, I was a little bit too thorough and it wasn't fun filtering through all of the video when it came time to edit). When it came time for my interview with the manager of the branch, he answered all of my questions sincerely and was extremely pleasant to work with. At the end of the interview he told me to wait around and he would "hook me up with a free meal of whatever I wanted." At first I was really excited to experience my first In-N-Out burger. As a Pennsylvania native this Western chain is Greek to me, and I was often treated like an outcast after telling people that I had never been to an In-N-Out before. So, I waited around for a little bit drooling at the thought of this coveted burger when all of a sudden my Code of Ethics finally kicked in: "Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity." (I guess you could say it was like one of those good angel, bad angel moments...)


In class we talked about journalists' roles as gatekeepers to society. Journalists have the responsibility of "deciding what is news and how it should be presented," therefore it is essential that they adhere to a code of ethics in order to keep facts straight and their personal opinion away from their stories (some disagree with the idea of journalists keeping their opinion out of the news).In addition, journalists today help to shape the worldview of people as they read the news because they are able to form opinions and take sides based on the facts and information that they read. While a free burger may seem (a probably would have been) harmless, it could been seen as a bribe or persuasion (unfortunately this still occurs in journalism throughout the world) for me to produce a better story on the restaurant. While I know this case is completely extreme, and my story would have favored In-N-Out regardless of the free food, I'm not a food critic, and I wasn't sent to taste the food. I was sent to report on the restaurant in order to inform people about the opening. So I guess it's no surprise that I took the burger... haha just kidding. I only awkwardly waited around for a little before triumphantly walking away. Moral of the story: I'm glad I stuck to the code of ethics, and I hope that I always do in my future journalistic endeavors.