The committee that revised the Society’s Code of Ethics felt the document’s tenets and underlying principles apply to all journalism regardless of how it’s ultimately presented. Still, the committee knew people interested in ethical journalism may benefit from additional guidance from the Society and other people and organizations.
Below are several resources that the Society’s ethics committee compiled to help people with day-to-day decisions. These resources are not formally part of the Code. Also, these lists will grow and change as more resources are found, or as resources become obsolete.
For those people who still have questions, please email the Society’s Ethics Hotline: ethics@spj.org
- The NYU Journalism Handbook for Students offers advice on how to approach human sources, including allowing them to respond to allegations and criticism. In general, the information in a news story should never be a surprise to the subjects, because a journalist should confront them with allegations and information.
SOURCE: http://journalism.nyu.edu/publishing/ethics-handbook/human-sources/
- Beth Winegarner discusses in a post on Poynter several ways to cultivate better sources while maintaining boundaries.
SOURCE: http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/writing/176219/5-tips-for-journalists-who-want-to-do-a-better-job-of-cultivating-sources/ - In a case study for the Ethics Committee, Nerissa Young looks at what happened on one college campus when sources on one side of a story wouldn’t talk with reporters.
SOURCE: http://www.spj.org/ecs19.asp - FiveThirtyEight examines the urge of many people – including health professionals – to diagnose mental illnesses in public figures without a proper examination.
SOURCE: http://53eig.ht/2uFI80A