Ethics and Journalism - Karen Sanders

A journalist is under constant pressure to remaing trust worthy. Sources are essential for any journalist, but of course, sources themselves have their own agendas, and will look to protect themselves and/or their clients for example. Sources walk a thin line as doctors and lawyers must keep the secrets they are told, where as a journalist should not.

There are 3 types of stories that a journalist will report on.

Diary stories - These are predictable things such as elections.

Non Diary stories - These are unpredictable events like terror attacks, natural disasters or murders that all media types will cover.

Off-Diary stories - come from unlikely places like specialist magazines and journals aswell as overheard conversations from enterprising reporters.

All of the these story types have something in common; they all need sources.

Journalists use their own terms to describe confidentiality. Something that is 'off the record' is not for public release, or is information for background perposes. '

Whistle bowling' is where where information is privately discolsed to uncover some kind of abuse within an organisation. The person offering the information must remain annonymous, and the journalist must be trusted to comply with the persons wishes or they will not get their information.

This is also true when information has been 'leaked'. This is when information has been passed on un authorised. Leaks can be an untrustworthy source of information as they can easily be manipulated.

A journalist can also pay sometime to give them information. This is known as 'cheque book journalism'.

The key to being a successful journalist is to remain truthful. I personally feel that if you need to use some of the above methods to get information, than still do so by complying with peoples wishes, and do not bend thruths.