"This publication [...] deals with the major ethical challenges facing journalists and other media practitioners in an environment in which social media has been assuming increasing importance and influence. By providing guidelines on how to deal with these challenges, this publication can serve as
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a practical guidebook for journalists and other media practitioners. In addition, this publication discusses the relationship between media ethics, law and freedom of expression. It presents different models of media regulation and gives examples of journalistic codes of ethics from around the world. In doing so, the publication puts the debate about media ethics in a broader context and provides an up-to-date framework to rethink media ethics for the media of today." (Foreword)
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"Grounded in the critical political economy of the media tradition, it is argued in the article that, in the highly commercialized media environment in Kenya today, market forces pose the greatest threat to media freedom and responsibility. Through in-depth qualitative interviews of twenty journalis
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ts from the Nation Media Group (NMG), the article shows how the expectation of private media to be purveyors of public interest while trying to maximize profits for shareholders leads to a clash of journalistic and capitalist values. The article answers the following questions: how do advertisers meddle in journalists’ ethical decisions at the Nation Media? How do journalists respond to advertisers’ influence? How does their response compromise their professional ethics? The findings show that there is a clash of journalistic values and capitalist values as journalists strive to meet shareholders’ expectations and maximize profits for owners." (Abstract)
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"The rise of digital and social media necessitates a new way of considering the ethical questions facing practicing journalists. This volume considers the various individual, cultural and institutional influences that have an impact on journalistic ethics today. It also examines the links between et
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hics and professionalism, the organisational promotion of ethical values and the tensions between ethics, freedom of information and speech, and the need to disseminate information. By comparing the theoretical underpinnings of journalistic ethics with a variety of international case studies, this volume provides a comparative global analysis of the ethical challenges faced by the media in the twenty-first century." (Publisher description)
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"This study surveys the ethical beliefs of citizen journalists in several sub-Saharan African countries. The research showed that they are driven by a sense of social responsibility and a wish to inform their readers and the general public. Citizen journalists show a clear anti-authoritarian strain
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and an antipathy towards government regulation, yet most see themselves as subject to the same ethics that guide traditional journalism." (Abstract)
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"This article analyses how ethnicity influences the ethical decisions of journalists at the Nation Media Group (NMG) in Kenya. Ethnic identity is regarded as one of the key factors that shape the political beliefs of Kenyans in general, and for journalists and media practitioners in particular ethni
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c identities also influence their normative positions. The conflicting loyalties between ethnic belonging and journalistic norms of professionalism and independence especially come to the fore during democratic processes such as general elections and national referenda. Based on Shoemaker and Reese’s Hierarchy of Influences Model, the article draws on qualitative interviews of journalists at the Nation Media to argue that the highly ethnicized publics as audience and the media institution at the macro level and individual journalists at the micro level act as key levels of ethnic influence in the news production process at the NMG in Kenya. Shoemaker and Reese in their model argue that the power to shape content is not the media’s alone, but is shared with a variety of other sectors in the society, including the public. The article then proposes the inclusion of ethnicity as a ‘key level of Influence’ in Shoemaker and Reese’s model, especially when applying the model to the African media context. The article will address the following questions: How does ethnicity at the micro level of individual journalists and at the macro level of the media institution influence the ethical decisions of journalists at the NMG in Kenya? How do the highly ethnicized publics in Kenya influence the decisions of journalists at the NMG? How does this ethnic level of influence impact on the Nation Media’s capacity to fulfil its democratic roles in the society?" (Abstract)
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"This discussion paper studies several main sources to assess the health of ethical journalism in Pakistan today. It takes three main areas of conflict and examines the ethics of reporting in relation to them. They are faith based issues (the blasphemy charge against 14-year-old Rimsha Masih, a Yout
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ube video film which disrespected Islam and the persecution of the Hazara community in Balochistan); the coverage of conflict in the 2013 general election and the Pakistan media's coverage of Afghanistan." (Methodology, page 7)
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"This book is an attempt to address obstacles to a democratic development of media systems in the countries of South East Europe by mapping patterns of corrupt relations and practices in media policy development, media ownership and financing, public service broadcasting, and journalism as a profess
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ion. It introduces the concept of media integrity to denote the public-service values of media and journalism. In analyzing the current situation of the media, the focus was on the assessment of factors that have been identified as posing a risk to media integrity, with an overview of past developments if relevant for understanding the current situation. Five countries were covered by the research presented in this book: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia." (Introduction)
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"Efficient self-regulation in the media sector is an important condition for ethical standards in news coverage and can prevent extensive regulation by state authorities. As such, it plays an important role for the trust of citizens in media and for the freedom of the press. Experts gathered by the
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Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the Article 10 ECHR Task Force in Belgrade in October 2013 give the following ten key recommendations." (Page 1)
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"Today, Mexican journalists see themselves as generational change agents. These journalists — many of whom are university graduates — stand in stark contrast to their corrupt, ill-equipped, trained-on-the-job predecessors who were fond of bribery and manipulation. Today‘s journalists define th
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emselves as professionals who strive to counter established power, seek to impart the truth without bias, and endeavour to overcome ordinary pressures and provide politically relevant and reliable information to their audiences. However, political structures, occupational culture, and individual values clearly influence the extent to which this cherished autonomy and committment to ethics can be practised. Therefore, it is not possible to speak about two separate generations — one unethical and the other ethical — but, instead, of one transitional generation where old and new elements blend." (Conclusion)
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"This guide explains how the Data Protection Act (DPA) applies to journalism, advises on good practice, and clarifies the role of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). It does not have any formal legal status and cannot set any new rules, but it will help those working in the media understa
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nd and comply with existing law in this area." (About this guide, page 3)
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"Do existing structures of media accountability - such as press councils, codes of ethics, and ombudspersons - suffice, or do we urgently need new instruments and initiatives in today's converging media world? These questions were tackled in an international survey of 1,800 journalists in twelve Eur
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opean and two Arab states conducted by the EU-funded research project, «Media Accountability and Transparency in Europe» (MediaAcT). The results provide a solid empirical basis for the discussions taking place. This book advances research on media accountability and transparency, and also offers innovative perspectives for newsrooms, media policy-makers, and journalism educators." (Back cover)
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"Ethical reporters and editors must strive to tell the truth with courage, fairness and balance, open to the possibility that their reporting may lead to a story that varies with their initial concept. They do not give pre-eminence to the government or official version of events, but give voice to t
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he voiceless, seeking out unofficial sources and people on the ground. They offer all parties to a conflict or dispute the chance to have their say and present their views fairly and objectively, and they do not skew comments to advance a particular point of view or agenda. They should not withhold relevant information in order to bolster or undermine a given point of view. They should not doctor photos or documents to distort their meaning. Ethical reporters and editors make every effort to give those named in stories the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing, and they report the results of those efforts within their news stories. They credit other publications and writers as appropriate, and never plagiarize. Where information is obtained through social media, they acknowledge its use and strive to insure the authenticity of sources and information obtained." (Page 4)
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"Ethics of Media reopens the question of media ethics. Taking an exploratory rather than prescriptive approach, an esteemed collection of contributors tackle the diverse areas of moral questioning at work within various broadcasting practices, accommodating the plurality and complexity of present-da
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y ethical challenges posed by the world of media." (Publisher description)
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"Through case studies, analysis of emerging practices, and theoretical discussion, a team of leading journalism and communication experts investigate the impact of major global trends on responsible journalism and lead readers to better understand changes in media ethics. Chapters look at how these
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changes promote or inhibit responsible journalism, how such changes challenge existing standards, and how media ethics can develop to take account of global news media. In light of the fact that media journalism is now, and will increasingly become, multimedia in format and global in its scope and influence, the book argues that global media impact entails global responsibilities: It is therefore critical that media ethics rethinks its basic notions, standards, and practices from a more cosmopolitan perspective." (Publisher description)
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"In the chapter, journalistic work ethics on the scene during school shootings and journalists’ psychological stress reactions after such work is studied. Approach: Findings are based on several qualitative studies carried out separately at different time periods, spanning over a decade. Included
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cases are one from the United States, Columbine (1999), and two from Finland, Jokela (2007) and Kauhajoki (2008). Similarities and differences between cases are pinpointed, and general conclusions are drawn. Findings: Results show that while technical equipment and publication platforms have developed between cases, journalists’ ethical issues, response to public criticism, and patterns of postcrisis reactions remain similar. Practical implications: As implications in the area of journalism ethics and stress reactions, the authors conclude that work in crises will be the rule rather than the exception during a journalist's career. Ethical considerations and individual response patterns to an event interact in complex ways. Personal preparation and knowledge in the area of ethics are of crucial importance for being able to function professionally during assignments. Social implications: Personal knowledge regarding journalism ethics and psychological stress are of importance, since individual mistakes when informing about a crisis can have long-lasting societal effects. Value of chapter: In the chapter, the authors underline the need to develop a personal understanding of typical crisis-related journalistic work strategies (autopilot/hyper mode), ethical boundaries, and possible stress reactions, for enabling an adequate work approach during assignments. Also, a number of possible predictors for emotional distress in journalists during crisis-related assignments are proposed." (Abstract)
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"This article pinpoints the various obstacles that prevent the emergence of genuine media pluralism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and aims to clarify the sense and/or senselessness of journalistic practices across the Congolese media landscape. The contrast between norms and actual practi
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ces constitutes a ‘crisis’ of Congolese journalism. It is argued that these practices are essentially ‘transgressive’, in that that they violate conventional, professional ethical norms. ‘Transgressive’ journalism practices are seen as a more or less regulated means of contravening the profession's official canons. This article identifies the principles and values that intervene in the moral decision-making process of journalists." (Abstract)
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