When I first showed up to class in the beginning of this Fall semester, we were all asked what ethics meant to us and at first it took me a second, but then I was able to think of a couple of definitions. I think the first had to do with morality and then I came up with a personal guideline one strives to hold to. I came to find out a little later that I was actually spot on. Ethics are a moral principles that govern a person’s or a group’s behavior.
When dealing with journalism, the code of ethics they stick to is mostly voluntary, unless there is an office or organization that requires its employees to uphold it as a policy for their workplace. I personally do not plan on being a journalist, since I am only minoring in Communications, but I do believe this is good for myself to think of a personal code of ethics that I can use as a guideline on how to act and live when dealing with others. It is almost like the Ten Commandments given to Moses, where I need to take them upon myself and be willing to suffer the consequences to my actions if I go astray from what I have promised to uphold. Well, maybe it is not so strict, but if I thought of it like that, I would definitely be a better person and co-worker.
As this semester has moved on, I really have learned a lot about journalism and how much goes on behind the scenes with the importance of this code of ethics. Like I mentioned earlier, the code of ethics is voluntary and it amazes me how journalists, for the most part, strive to be honest, fair and trustworthy. To help with what makes up this certain code of ethics, there is an organization called the Society of Professional Journalists, which is made up of thousands of journalists, and they have come up with four pillars of ethics. To introduce these four pillars they have said that the forerunner to justice and the foundation of democracy is public enlightenment. They also said that standing at the cornerstone of a journalist’s credibility is professional integrity. I am astonished at what these professionals strive to do in the name of journalism, which leads us to the four pillars. They are to seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable. It covers the basis of what a journalist should do to provide good reports to his or her audience. I personally have made a personal code of ethics that is quite similar to that of the SPJ’s. I will explain what my goals are with this code and how I plan to stick to it.
Being only a Communication minor, and taking the basic journalism classes, I am given the opportunity to learn how to look at news and decide whether I can trust certain agencies. I have learned that as a member of the audience to the news I consume, I have the ability to do some checks to see whether the stories are accurate or not. I have the right, as a consumer, to pick which source is best for me, because I have choices. As an example of that, I recently have taken a liking to reading the newspaper, which I really have never done. The newspaper is slowly dying, which is a sad thing, but I believe I can trust The New York Times as still being the best out of the ones that are surviving. I have read other newspapers lately and I find The Times to be the most transparent and informative. That is my choice and my opinion, but in the end that is why we have that freedom to choose what we like best. Other than reading the newspaper I get other news online, because it is convenient being around computers most of the day. I don’t have time to watch TV, so that takes a back seat to any news consumption.
When determining which source of news to trust and how to know for sure if they are a good organization it is important to check them against other sources for independence, verification and public vigilance. In other words, what are they reporting? Does it personally affect you? Does it help you to know what you are consuming? Is the information’s accurate? All these are great questions to find out if you are taking in good information and will help you find the best source for your personal wants and needs. I truly believe that an individual journalist and an organization have to stand up for what they believe to be true and right. When the whole team is organized, bold and following the four pillars of journalism, they would be considered an outstanding example in journalism. That trust journalists seek with their audience takes time to develop, but it is key if they want anyone to pay attention to them.
For my life personally, I want people to trust me, as well. I want to be able to be a good listener and have people trust me with their information they share with me. I want to be a valued source when asked questions and have people believe me when I tell them something. My parents taught me to be trustworthy and growing up that characteristic took some courage to stick up for my values, but in the end it is always worth it to choose the right. Yes, I have slipped up and told lies, but have learned my lesson and regained the trust of those I harmed. It took time and hard work to fix my wrongdoings, but I am glad I went through those experiences. I have learned that will help me through out my life. I want to share a list, which I have taken from other sources and applied to my personal code of ethics. I want to be or a journalist to be trustworthy, courageous, loyal, objective and fair to both sides. All those together, if a person was to stick to them, would make a pretty outstanding person.
Journalism is an honorable career and after going through this class I respect them even more. They are all around us, but do an outstanding job with all the details they have to keep in mind while reporting. It is, once again, all done to help us stay informed. We the audience are being enlightened by other citizens who have taken upon themselves to be watchdogs within our society and uphold what matters most to a democratic society, freedom. That includes the freedom to express ideas, opinions and thoughts with out being censored by the government. What a blessing it is to live and work in this great country, where we enjoy and have enjoyed these freedoms for hundreds of years.
In conclusion to my time in this class I want it to be known that I will not take for granted the things I used to look over and not think much of. There is so much that goes into being a journalist and it really is a way of life. Journalists have to dedicate themselves to their work and make it a priority to be mindful of what they do and say. Even though I am learning the basics in this class, it will be useful for me in my life to use these principles in my life as I associate with the people of this world. Just as I have grown from this class and this assignment, I think it would be useful for all of us to look at our lives and determine what kind of personal code of ethics we could be living by. It will not only improve your life, but also the lives of everyone around us. Who knows, this might be the key to world peace. All I know is that I am a better person, because I want to be trustworthy, loyal and be fair to those I come in contact with. If only we could all live by the golden rule and treat others, as we would want to be treated, then we would really get somewhere. Mistakes come with the territory, just make sure to learn from them and try not to repeat them. One last thing, remember who you are and what you stand for, and then journalism will really find a special spot in everyone’s hearts. Learn the code and live it. That is my final advice for all who read this, which includes myself.
