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AmericanSocietyofNewspaperEditors

AmericanSocietyofNewspaperEditors
STATEMENTOFPRINCIPLES
Preamble
TheFirstAmendment,protectingfreedomofexpressionfromabridgmentbyanylaw,
guaranteestothepeoplethroughtheirpressaconstitutionalright,andtherebyplaceson
newspaperpeopleaparticularresponsibility.
Thusjournalismdemandsofitspractitionersnotonlyindustryandknowledgebutalsothe
pursuitofastandardofintegrityproportionatetothejournalist'ssingularobligation.
TothisendtheAmericanSocietyofNewspaperEditorssetsforththisStatementof
Principlesasastandardencouragingthehighestethicalandprofessionalperformance.
ARTICLEIResponsibility
Theprimarypurposeofgatheringanddistributingnewsandopinionistoservethegeneral
welfarebyinformingthepeopleandenablingthemtomakejudgmentsontheissuesofthe
time.Newspapermenandwomenwhoabusethepoweroftheirprofessionalroleforselfish
motivesorunworthypurposesarefaithlesstothatpublictrust.
TheAmericanpresswasmadefreenotjusttoinformorjusttoserveasaforumfordebate
butalsotobringanindependentscrutinytobearontheforcesofpowerinthesociety,
includingtheconductofofficialpoweratalllevelsofgovernment.
ARTICLEIIFreedomofthePress
Freedomofthepressbelongstothepeople.Itmustbedefendedagainstencroachmentor
assaultfromanyquarter,publicorprivate.
Journalistsmustbeconstantlyalerttoseethatthepublic'sbusinessisconductedinpublic.
Theymustbevigilantagainstallwhowouldexploitthepressforselfishpurposes.

ARTICLEIIIIndependence
Journalistsmustavoidimproprietyandtheappearanceofimproprietyaswellasanyconflict
ofinterestortheappearanceofconflict.Theyshouldneitheracceptanythingnorpursueany
activitythatmightcompromiseorseemtocompromisetheirintegrity.
ARTICLEIVTruthandAccuracy
Goodfaithwiththereaderisthefoundationofgoodjournalism.Everyeffortmustbemadeto
assurethatthenewscontentisaccurate,freefrombiasandincontext,andthatallsidesare
presentedfairly.Editorials,analyticalarticlesandcommentaryshouldbeheldtothesame
standardsofaccuracywithrespecttofactsasnewsreports.
Significanterrorsoffact,aswellaserrorsofomission,shouldbecorrectedpromptlyand
prominently.
http://www.columbia.edu/itc/journalism/j6075/edit/ethiccodes/ASNE.html

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AmericanSocietyofNewspaperEditors

ARTICLEVImpartiality
Tobeimpartialdoesnotrequirethepresstobeunquestioningortorefrainfromeditorial
expression.Soundpractice,however,demandsacleardistinctionforthereaderbetween
newsreportsandopinion.Articlesthatcontainopinionorpersonalinterpretationshouldbe
clearlyidentified.
ARTICLEVIFairPlay
Journalistsshouldrespecttherightsofpeopleinvolvedinthenews,observethecommon
standardsofdecencyandstandaccountabletothepublicforthefairnessandaccuracyof
theirnewsreports.
Personspubliclyaccusedshouldbegiventheearliestopportunitytorespond.
Pledgesofconfidentialitytonewssourcesmustbehonoredatallcosts,andtherefore
shouldnotbegivenlightly.Unlessthereisclearandpressingneedtomaintainconfidences,
sourcesofinformationshouldbeidentified.Theseprinciplesareintendedtopreserve,
protectandstrengthenthebondoftrustandrespectbetweenAmericanjournalistsandthe
Americanpeople,abondthatisessentialtosustainthegrantoffreedomentrustedtoboth
bythenation'sfounders.
ThisStatementofPrincipleswasadoptedbytheASNEBoardofDirectorsonOct.23,1975itsupplantsthe1922
"CanonsofJournalism."

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/journalism/j6075/edit/ethiccodes/ASNE.html

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