Guiding principles for the journalist

By Bob Steele

Seek Truth and Report it as Fully as Possible

· Inform yourself continuously so you in turn can inform, engage, and educate the public in a clear and compelling way on significant issues.

· Be honest, fair, and courageous in gathering, reporting, and interpreting accurate information.

· Give voice to the voiceless.

· Hold the powerful accountable.

Act Independently

· Guard vigorously the essential stewardship role a free press plays in an open society.

· Seek out and disseminate competing perspectives without being unduly influenced by those who would use their power or position counter to the public interest.

· Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise your integrity or damage your credibility.

· Recognize that good ethical decisions require individual responsibility enriched by collaborative efforts.

Minimize Harm

· Be compassionate for those affected by your actions.

· Treat sources, subjects, and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect, not merely as means to your journalistic ends.

· Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort, but balance those negatives by choosing alternatives that maximize your goal of truth telling.

Ask These Ten Questions to Make Good Ethical Decisions

Bob Steele
The Poynter Institute

1. What do I know? What do I need to know?

2. What is my journalistic purpose?

3. What are my ethical concerns?

4. What organizational policies and professional guidelines should I consider?

5. How can I include other people, with different perspectives and diverse ideas, in the decision-making process?

6. Who are the stakeholders-those affected by my decision? What are their motivations?

7. What if the roles were reversed? How would I feel if I were in the shoes of one of the stakeholders?

8. What are the possible consequences of my actions? Short term? Long term?

9. What are my alternatives to maximize my truth telling responsibility and minimize harm?

10. Can I clearly and fully justify my thinking and my decision? To colleagues? To the stakeholders? To the public?