Departments



Articles

Editorial: Anti-Environmental Bill: Save Florida From Harm
May 16th, 2013

Editorial: Problem Ordinances
May 8th, 2012

Editorial: Cedar Key Arts Show
April 28th, 2012

Editorial: Cedar Key Arts Show
April 20th, 2012

Editorial: Status of Nuclear Power as Savior
March 15th, 2012

Editorial: Advice to Letter Writers
February 13th, 2012

Editorial: 2011 is History
January 7th, 2012

Editorial: The History of Island Nations
December 24th, 2011

Editorial: Why You DON’T Pay for the Cedar Key News Online
November 11th, 2011

Editorial: Hoppin’ John ***
November 3rd, 2011

Editorial: What Decline?
October 10th, 2011

Editorial: Notes from a Slightly Bigger Island
October 8th, 2011

Editorial: Barking Mad
October 5th, 2011

Editorial: Fix the Bridges!
September 11th, 2011

Editorial: Catching the Right Wave
July 27th, 2011

More

The Responsiblities of a Journalist

The Responsiblities of a Journalist

Editorial

Journalism is a new profession when compared to Medicine, Law and even Mortuary Science. Unlike doctors and many other professionals, journalists are protected from government control by the Constitution of the United States, First Amendment.


For thousands of years doctor have taken the Hippocratic Oath, and lawyers have a Cannon of Ethics. Doctors and lawyers and many other professionals subscribe to self-policing. And government forces add teeth to such housecleaning. But journalists, except for laws against libel, depend on professional ethics to limit their behavior.


Cedar Key High School offers a course in Journalism. The textbook used by the students devotes thirty-one pages to "Meeting Ethical and Legal Responsibilities." The textbook presents the Society of Professional Journalists` Code of Ethics, which is covered in four sections, namely, Seek the Truth and Publish It, Minimize Harm, Act Independently, and Be Accountable.


The last section may be the one most often overlooked. To be accountable journalist should:


* Clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic conduct.


* Encourage the public to voice grievances against the news media.


* Admit mistakes and correct them promptly.


* Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media.


* Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others.


We invite our readers to use the Speak Out or Letters to the Editor to remind us if Cedar Key News fails to observe those ethical standards.

Click for printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

 

 

© 2013
Cedar Key News

cedarkeynews@gmail.com