Ethically Responsible and Irresponsible News Reporting

A journalist distributes news, collects and writes information. Journalists usually do what it takes to get the story done by taking risk when writing a story and exposing themselves to dangerous areas to collect information for a story. In spite of this all, journalism has developed a variety of standards and ethics in which journalist must follow. In this paper you will read about journalism ethical responsibility, if there is ever deception or censorship permissible in journalism, and what ethical obligations do reporters have to their readers and sources.
Journalism’s ethical responsibility as a profession The utmost mission of the journalist is to serve the people’s right to accurate and dependable information through an honest dedication. Facts should be reported carefully in their proper context and not causing distortions. In this case the public is provided with sufficient substance to facilitate the development of an accurate and wide-ranging picture of what’s going on around the world.
The information in journalism is known as collective good and not a service. This means that journalist not only shares the responsibility for the transmitted information, but they are also accountable to the public and those that controls the media. The journalist’s social responsibility necessitates that they will act under all situations in traditional values with a personal ethical consciousness. The journalist social role insists that the profession sustain high standards of integrity which gives the journalist’s the right to cease from working against their conviction or from revealing sources of information. The organization should allow journalists to have the right to participate in the decision-making as well. The profession integrity does not permit the journalist to accept the promotion of any private interest opposing to the general welfare or any form of inducement.

Freedom of speech can be good only in terms of its instrumental value according to utilitarian point of view. The professional standards of the journalist prescribe due respect for the national community, its democratic institutions and public morals. A true journalist stands for the collective importance of humanism, democracy, human rights, national liberation and social progress. They should also participate enthusiastically in social transformation towards democratic betterment of society and contribute their time through dialogue with confidence in international relations beneficial to peace and justice everywhere. With this said, journalist should respect the significance and dignity of each culture and the distinctive character. In the ethics of profession, the journalist should be aware of relevant provisions contained in international resolutions, conventions and declarations.
When, if ever, is deception or censorship permissible in journalism?
Media outlets must weigh the impending legal liabilities of using deceptive methods to obtain information against the assessment of that information. Due to this factor, there is no apparent answer to whether deception in journalism is unprofessional and ethically wrong. The intact matter of deception in story telling is usually complex. When deception is used in other areas of journalism the most unconscionable acts often are perpetrated. If deception is discussed in newsgathering, certain tremendous situation mean that a journalist may have to deceive to get the significant part of the story, which is ethically revolting and evidently unprofessional. If deception was to be believed professionally and morally there ought to be no other way to bring together the information and the story must be of immense interest to the public, but this does not mean that the public would be interested.