In the postelection world, many Americans remain vexed with the press — convinced that journalists are guilty of biased reporting, or producing inaccurate, clueless, trite, elitist or even fraudulent news. Unbeknownst to many, the Society of Professional Journalists has a robust set of ethical standards in place “to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough,” advising journalists to “seek the truth and report it,” among other significant things.
“Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair. Journalists should be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information,” the group states, later adding, “The highest and primary obligation of ethical journalism is to serve the public.”
Yeah, well. Standards tend to wilt in the current media marketplace, which hopefully will sort itself out before the 2020 election gets rolling. Or maybe not. Meanwhile, gleeful pollsters continue to report that the press ranks at or near the bottom of opinion surveys. The latest reveals that out of four major business concerns in America, the media is ranked the most unethical. – READ MORE
