The Code of ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists is intended as a resource for ethical decision-making in this profession.
The five core principles of journalism stated by this society are:
1. Truth and accuracy. Journalists need to get facts right, strive for accuracy and give all relevant facts.
2. Independence. They must be independent voices and declare their political affiliations, financial arrangements or other personal information that might constitute a conflict of interest.
3. Fairness and Impartiality. Stories should be balanced and add context. There is no obligation to always present the two side of the stories, but impartial reporting builds trust and confidence.
4. Humanity. Journalists should do no harm, they must be aware of the impact of their words to the lives of others.
5. Accountability. When they commit mistakes they must correct them quickly, with sincere expressions and not cynical remarks.
Among all these principles, it is said that the most commonly violated is the first one.
Truth and Accuracy violations lead to the omission of details as to change the perception of the reader and when information cannot be corroborated it should be said so. This does not happen all the time, journalists cannot always guarantee truth but trying to get the facts right is what makes accountable and trustworthy journalism.
