TERCERA FASE
DIRECCION GENERAL
2. Determinación de los niveles de riesgo.
UNIT 2 CODES OF JOURNALISTIC ETHICS
Commission report which noted that “diversity of values likely to affect an International Code would make it impossible to formulate”.
That notwithstanding, the issue of formulating an international code was first discussed in the United Nations between 1950 and 1952 when a draft International Code of Ethics for Information Personnel was prepared by the UN Sib-Committee on Freedom of Information and the Press. The 1954 UN General Assembly however did not take any action on the draft thus stagnating it for almost three decades until eventually, between 1978 and 1983, several consultative meetings of international and regional journalistic organisations culminated in November 1983, in the emergence of the International Principles of Professional Ethics in Journalism. These principles were prepared as an international common ground and as a source of inspiration for national and regional codes of ethics. The consultative fora were held under the auspices of UNESCO in consort with the following journalistic organisations: International Organisation of Journalists (IOJ), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), International Catholic Union of the Press, Latin American Federation of Journalists, Latin American Federation of Press Workers, Federation of Arab Journalists, Union of African Journalists and Confederation of ASEAN Journalists.
The International Code of Ethics comprises of the following ten principles:
People’s right to know
People and individuals have the right to acquire an objective picture of reality by means of accurate, comprehensive information as well as to express themselves freely through the various media of culture and communication.
The Journalist’s dedication to objective reality
The foremost task of the journalist is to serve the people’s right to true and authentic information through an honest dedication to objective reality whereby facts are reported conscientiously in their proper context, pointing out their essential connections and without causing distortions, with the deployment of the creative capacity of the journalist, so that the public is provided with adequate material to facilitate the formation of an accurate and comprehensive picture of the world in which the origins, nature and essence of events, processes, and state of affairs are understood as objective reality.
The Journalist’s Social Responsibility
Information n journalism is understood as a social good and not as a commodity, which means that the journalist shares responsibility for the information transmitted and is thus accountable not only to those controlling the media but ultimately to the public at large. Social responsibility requires that he or she act under all circumstances in conformity with a personal ethical consciousness.
The Journalist’s Professional Integrity
The social role of the journalist demands that the profession maintain high standards of integrity, including the journalist’s right to refrain from working against his/her conviction or from disclosing sources of information as well as the right to participate in the decision-making of the medium in which he/she is employed. The integrity of the profession does not permit the journalist to accept any form of bribe or the journalist to promote any private interest contrary to the general welfare.
Likewise, it belongs to professional ethics to respect intellectual property and in particular to refrain from plagiarism.
Public Access and Participation
The nature of the profession demands that the journalist promote access by the public to information of the public in the media, including the right of correction or rectification and the right of reply.
Respect for Privacy and Human Dignity
An integral part of the professional standards of the journalist is respect for the right of the individual to privacy and human dignity, in conformity with the provisions of international and national laws concerning protection of the rights and the reputation of others, prohibiting libel, calumny, slander and defamation.
Respect for Public Interest
The professional standards of the journalist prescribe due respect for the national community, its democratic institutions and public morals.
Respect for Universal Values and Diversity of Culture
A true journalist stands for the universal values of humanism, above all peace, democracy, human rights, social progress and national liberation, while respecting the distinctive character, value and dignity of each
political, social, economic and cultural systems. Thus, the journalist participates actively in the democratic betterment of society and contributes through dialogue to a climate of confidence in international relations conducive to peace and justice everywhere, to détente, disarmament, and national development. It belongs to the ethics of the profession that the journalist be aware of relevant provisions contained in international conventions, declarations and resolutions
Elimination of War and other great evils confronting humanity The ethical commitment to the universal values of humanism calls for the journalist to abstain from aany justification for, or incitement to, wara od aggression and the arms race, especially in nuclear weapons, and all other forms of violence, hatred or discrimination, especially racism and apartheid, oppression by tyrannical regimes, colonialism and neo-colonialism, as well as other great evils which affect humanity such as poverty, malnutrition and diseases.
Promotion of a New World Information and Communication Order The journalist operates in the contemporary, witnessing a movement towards new international relations in general and a new world information order in particular. This new order, understood as an integral part of the New International Economic Order, is aimed at the de-colonialisation and democratisation of information and communication, both nationally and internationally, on the basis of peaceful co-existence among people and with full respect for their cultural identity. The journalist has a special obligation to promote the process of democratisation of international relations in the field of information, in particular, safeguarding and fostering people and friendly and friendly relations among states and peoples.
Every country has different codes of ethics that govern the different Mass Media Print, broadcast and the cinema.
In Nigeria, the code of conduct of the Nigeria Press Organisation (NPO) is the umbrella code for journalists in the country. However, it must be noted that practitioners in different media and media-related professions also have different codes of ethics to guide their professional practice.
These include the code of ethics of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and the code of the Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (AAPN). The Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) also has a code of conduct for broadcasting.
3.2 Institutional Codes
Different media organisations have their own policies regarding the conduct of employees. These codes are often comprehensive and deal with such diverse matters as the acceptance of gifts and other gratuities from outside sources, conflict of interests, the use of offensive, or indecent materials, the publication of rape victims’ names, the staging of news events, the use of deceptive news gathering techniques, and the identification of sources. There are usually similar policies regarding advertising content, particularly in matters of decency and taste.
Although these codes often reflect an organisation’s commitment to certain standards of conduct, they are sometimes criticised for failing to provide guidance for the myriad of ethical dilemmas that confront media practitioners under the pressure of time deadlines.
Nevertheless, such codes are helpful in orientation of new employees to the ethical values of the organisation and can also be used as a neutral standard to which both sides can appeal in an ethical dispute.
The violation of the codes may earn employee sanction from the organisation. Also, each violation, particularly if ignored by media executives erodes the integrity of the published ethical guidelines.
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
Highlight the different codes of journalistic ethics.
3.3 Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists
In Nigeria, code of ethics for journalists was first established and adopted by the Nigeria Press Organisation (NPO) in 1979. This code later paved way for a new one because the old one was deficient in many areas.
The new code, which is a collective effort of Nigeria journalists, represented by the Nigeria Press Organisation (NPO) and the Nigerian Press Council (NPC), is expected to interpret the code while acting as a judicator when any of the provisions of the code is breached.
The code contains the following:
a. Editorial Independence
Decisions concerning the content of news should be the responsibility of
b. Accuracy and Fairness
The public has a right to know. Factual, accurate, balanced and fair reporting is the ultimate objective of good journalism and the basis of earning public trust and confidence.
A journalist should refrain from publishing inaccurate and misleading information. Where such information has been inadvertently published, prompt correction should be made. A journalist must hold the right of reply as a cardinal rule of practice.
In the course of his duties, a journalist should strive to separate facts from conjecture and comment.
c. Privacy
As a general rule, a journalist should respect the privacy of individuals and their families unless it affects public interest.
Information on the private life of an individual or his family should only be published if it impinges on public interest.
Publishing of such information about an individual as mentioned above should be deemed justifiable only if it is directed at:
exposing crime or serious misdemeanour;
exposing anti-social conduct;
protecting public health, morality and safety;
preventing the public from being misled by some statement or action of the individual concerned.
d. Privilege/Non-Disclosure
A journalist should observe the universally accepted principle of confidentiality and should not disclose the source of information obtained in confidence.
A journalist should not reach an agreement with a source of information obtained as “off-the-record” or as “background information.”
e. Decency
A journalist should dress and comport himself in a manner that conforms to public taste.
Journalist should refrain from using offensive, abusive or vulgar languages.
A journalist should not present lurid details, either in words or picture, of violence, sexual acts, and abhorrent or horrid scenes.
In a case involving personal grief or shock, enquiries should be carried out and approaches made with sympathy and discretion.
Unless it is in the furtherance of the public’s right to know, a journalist should generally avoid identifying relatives or friends of persons convicted or accused of crime.
f. Discrimination
A journalist should refrain from making pejorative reference to a person’s ethnic group, religion, sex, or to any physical or mental illness or handicap.
g. Reward and Gratification
A journalist should neither solicit nor accept bribe, gratification or patronage to suppress or publish information.
To demand payment for the publication of news is inimical to the notion of news as a fair, accurate, unbiased and factual report of an event.
h. Violence
A journalist should not present or report acts of violence, armed robberies, terrorist activities or vulgar display of wealth in a manner that glorifies such acts in the eyes of public.
i. Children and Minors
A journalist should not identify, either by name or picture, or interview children under the age of 16 who are involved in cases concerning sexual offences, crimes and rituals or witchcraft either as victims, witnesses or defendants.
j. Access to Information
A journalist should strive to employ open and honest means in the gathering of information.
Exceptional methods may be employed only when the public interest is at stake.
k. Public Interest
A journalist should strive to enhance national unity and public good.
l. Social Responsibility
A journalist should promote universal principles of human rights, democracy, justice, equity, peace and international understanding.
m. Plagiarism
A journalist should not copy, (whole or in part), other people’s work without attribution and/or consent.
n. Copyright
Where a journalist reproduces a work, be it in print, broadcast, artwork or design, proper acknowledgement should be accorded the author.
A journalist should abide by all rules of copyrighting established by national and international laws and conventions.
o. Press Freedom and Responsibility
A journalist should strive at all times to enhance press freedom and responsibility.
4.0 CONCLUSION
At whatever level you want to practice as a journalist, whether international, regional or national, there are rules and regulations to guide you in the conduct of your profession.
The most important thing for you is to be abreast with the codes of ethics of your profession in order to be a sound journalist that would command the respect of your audience and your employer.
5.0 SUMMARY
Since 1920, journalists like any other professionals have had rules and regulations enacted by journalists themselves to guide the conduct of their profession.
These are the international codes of ethics and National codes. In Nigeria, besides the code of ethics for practitioners in specific areas of specialisation such as advertising, public relations, the Nigeria Press Organisation which is the umbrella body for journalists, editor and proprietors of newspapers and magazines ratified the code of ethics for all journalists which contain 15 injunctions or declarations.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
1. Elaborate on the need for ethics in journalism.2. Trace the history of the code of ethics for Nigerian journalists and highlight the issues raised in the code.
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
Nigeria Press Organisation (1998). Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists. Lagos: NPC.
NPC Decree No 60 of 1999.