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Journalism Law and Ethics: JRN 3101

Research help for JRN 3101

Professional Codes of Ethics

Journalism ethics and standards are principles of good practice.  

Professional journalism associations, individual news organizations, and journalists themselves often have their own "code of ethics"; however, most share these basic principles: truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness, and public accountability.

Many journalists also abide by the principle of "limitation of harm" which means that they have a responsibility to not harm others while reporting a story. This is one major difference between professional journalists reporting for "reputable" news organizations as opposed to fringe news sources and fake news creators.  


When evaluating a news organization, read its statement or code of ethics. What does it tell you if the organization does not publish its ethics for all to access?

Simply use your favorite search engine to search for the name of a news source and ethics. Here are a few for starters:

Journals & Magazines that Cover Ethics-Related Topics