ETHICS

IN THE MEDIA PROFESSION

GREAT POWER COMES

GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
UNCLE BEN,
SPIDERMAN

 A REPORTER HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO

DIG FOR FACTS AND TO PUT THEM
TOGETHER IN A MEANINGFUL AND
TRUTHFUL STORY.
A REPORTER REALIZES THAT WHAT HE
DOES IS IMPORTANT.
A REPORTER CAN MAKE OR UNMAKE A
PERSON.
A REPORTER CAN GAIN SUPPORT FOR A
CAUSE.

 A REPORTER CAN HELP PUT AN END TO

UNJUST OR UNWISE PRACTICES.
A REPORTER HAS A POWERFUL
INSTRUMENT IN HIS HANDS.
A REPORTER CAN USE THIS AS A WEAPON
TO DESTROY OR AS A TOOL TO BUILD.
A RESPONSIBLE EDITORS SEE TO IT THAT
THIS WEAPON IS NOT MISUSED.

1. CONFIDENTIALITY
OFF THE RECORD.
SOMETIMES
PEOPLE
WILL
DISCLOSE INFORMATION ONLY IF
THE REPORTER AGREES TO KEEP
IT OFF THE RECORD.

2. OBJECTIVITY
OBJECTIVITY VS. SUBJECTIVITY
OBJECTIVITY DETACHED, IMPERSONAL,
UNPREJUDICED
SUBJECTIVITY BASED ON PERSONAL BIAS
(LEONARD RAY TEEL & RON TAYLOR, 1983)

 PENNY PRESS
TABLOID NEWSPAPER SOLD FO 1
PEENY.
- CRUDEST FORM OF JOURNALISM
PRESS RELEASE
(PRAISE RELEASE)

FOLLOWING JOURNALISTIC
PRACTICES CAME:
OPEN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF
SUBJECTIVITY AS A FACTOR OF
REPORTING.
SPECIALIZATION.
DEVELOPMENT OF INTERPRETATIVE
REPORTING
APPEARANCE OF THE SYNDICATED
COLUMNIST

 YOUNG REPORTER MUST FIRST LEARN

TO WRITE STRAIGHT NEWS ACCORDING
TO THE MOST STRINGENT RULES OF
OBJECTIVE JOURNALISM.
HE MUST LEARN TO SEPARATE FACT
FROM OPINION.
(MICHAEL SCHUDSON. DISCOVERING THE
NEWS. 1973)

3. FAIRNESS
THE WHOLE POINT IN ADVOCATING
OBJECTIVITY IS TO BE FAIR IN
PRESENTING THE NEWS.
A REPORTER HAS TO DIG DILIGENTLY
FOR FACTS, INTERVIEW PERSONS
CONCERNED; OBSERVE; RESEARCH
AND FINALLY WRITE, WITHIN THE
TIME CONSTRAINTS OF HIS JOB.

BALANCED NEWS REPORTING

STICK TO THE FACTS
NEVER INSERT YOUR PERSONAL OPINION
BE DISCREET IN THE USE OF ADJECTIVES
AVOID CHEAP SHOTS
SOMEBODY WITH SOMETHING TO SAY
DESERVES A FORUM
ASSESS YOUR ALLIANCES.
LISTEN TO YOUR EDITORS
REMEMBER THE CHILDREN.

CONCEPTS OPPOSED TO BALANCED

REPORTING:

ADVOCACY JOURNALISM
- CONCEPT OF STACKING THE FACTS
SO AS TO PROVE ONE SIDE OF AN
ISSUE OR TO TAKE THE POSITION THE
PAPER PREFERS.

CONCEPTS OPPOSED TO BALANCED

REPORTING:

NEW JOURNALISM
- IT USES LITERARY DEVICE OF
EXPLORING A SUBJECTS THOUGHTS
AND MOTIVES AND WRITING ABOUT
WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED, THUS
GIVING THE REPORT THE TONE OF
NOVELS.

CONCEPTS OPPOSED TO BALANCED

REPORTING:

STYLISTIC JOURNALISM
- IT EMPHASIZES IMAGINATIVE,
STYLIZED WRITING OF STORIES AND
CONSIDERS
NEWSPAPERS
AS
LITERATURE OF IMMEDIATE FACT

CONCEPTS OPPOSED TO BALANCED

REPORTING:

YELLOW JOURNALISM
- IT EMPHASIZES THE SENTATIONAL,
PARTICULARLY THE POLITICAL EXPOS

OTHER CAUSES OF UNFAIR REPORTING

EDITORIAL EMPHASIS
IT IS IN THE STRAIGHT NEWS
WHERE EDITORIAL EMPHASIS COULD
BE AN UNFAIR PRACTICE
PROPAGANDA DEVICES
- APPEAL TO THE EMOTIONS
RATHER THAN TO REASON.

COMMON METHODS OF EDITORIAL

EMPHASIS IN THE NEWS STORY

EDITORIALIZING
OVERWRITING OR UNDERWRITING
OMITTING A NEWS STORY FROM
PUBLICATION
CREATING A NEWS STORY
PUBLISHING ONLY FACTS WHICH THE
PAPER WANTS THE READER TO
KNOW
FAILING TO SELECT THE RIGHT

PROPAGANDA DEVICES
NAME CALLING
GLITTERING GENERALITIES
TESTIMONIAL
PLAIN FOLKS
CARD STACKING
BAND WAGON

QUIZ # 1
1. WHAT ARE THE CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEES ON
PRESS FREEDOM?
2. EXPLAIN WHAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS.
3. CITE SOME LIMITATIONS OF PRESS FREEDOM.
4. WHAT IS THE DOCTRINE OF FAIR COMMENT>
5. WHAT IS RIGHT TO PRIVACY? EXPLAIN YOUR
ANSWER
6. WHAT LAW WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT RAMOS
LEGALIZING THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE
PHILIPPINES?
7. WHAT WORKS CAN BE COPYRIGHTED?