Are journalists supposed to be impartial?

Journalistic objectivity requires that a journalist not be on either side of an argument. The journalist must report only the facts and not a personal attitude toward the facts. Essentially, reporters should not only approach issues in an unbiased manner but also with a dispassionate and emotionless attitude.

What does impartial mean in journalism?

Impartiality has been taken to mean that coverage should be unbiased, balanced, objective, open-minded and avoid favouring one side over another (Cushion, 2011: 33).

What are the ethics of journalism?

So while various codes may have some differences, most share common elements including the principles of truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness, and public accountability, as these apply to the acquisition of newsworthy information and its subsequent dissemination to the public.

What does it mean to be objective and impartial?

The dictionary defines impartial as not being biased and as unprejudiced. It defines objective as uninfluenced by emotional, surmise, or personal prejudice; based on observable phenomena; presented factually.

Is it necessary to be impartial in ethics?

Morality requires impartiality with regard to those moral agents affected by a violation of a moral rule—for example, being partial toward friends is not morally allowed.

Why should we be impartial?

Another reason to think we must be impartial is that it is arbitrary to act otherwise. White people, for example, are no more morally valuable than black people, so there is no good reason to treat those in one group any differently than those of another group.

What are the major ethics and responsibilities that guide the practice of journalism in Nigeria?

A journalist should strive to enhance national unity and public good. A journalist should promote universal principles of human rights, democracy, justice, equity, peace and international understanding. A journalist should not copy, wholesale or in part, other people’s work without attribution and/or consent.

Is it necessary to be impartial?

Being impartial means not being prejudiced towards or against any particular side, and to be fair and balanced. Impartiality must be adequate and appropriate. It is not necessary to represent every argument on every occasion or to offer an equal division of time for each view.

What is fairness and balance in journalism ethics?

Balance and fairness are classic buzzwords of journalism ethics: In objective journalism, stories must be balanced in the sense of attempting to present all sides of a story. Fairness means that a journalist should strive for accuracy and truth in reporting, and not slant a story so a reader draws the reporter’s desired conclusion.

What are the ethics of Journalism?

Journalism, like most professions, has ethical standards that journalists are obliged to follow, with ethics being defined as a set of morally-driven principles and rules. Though there’s no set agreed upon code or set of standards, several organizations have published standards which largely agree with one another.

What is the SPJ Code of ethics for journalism?

SPJ Code of Ethics. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity. The Society declares these four principles as the foundation of ethical journalism and encourages their use in its practice by all people in all media.

What is the principle of minimizing harm in Ethical Journalism?

The principle of minimizing harm can be a tricky but essential aspect of ethical journalism. The main reason for this is because you never know how someone may react to a story or even a photograph.