Media
ethics is the broad term describing the proper modes of behavior to which all
branches of the modern media should attempt to adhere. The branches of the
media that try to live up to ethical standards include television, print
communications, and the Internet. Different issues arise depending upon the
branch of the media in question, issues made more complicated by burgeoning
technology. Many of the complications in media ethics arise from the conflict
of ethical standards and the media companies' desire to make money.
It's
difficult to simplify media ethics, because the issues that stem from different
media can be contradictory in nature. What makes sense and seems fine for one
branch of the media might cross ethical lines if applied by another. In addition,
technological advances have actually created far more ethical dilemmas for
media outlets than they have eliminated. All media companies and creators must
walk an increasingly fine line to serve the public and stay morally sound.
In
addition to the legal rights and obligations set forth in the relevant legal
norms, the media have an ethical responsibility towards citizens and society
which must be underlined at the present time, when information and
communication play a very important role in the formation of citizens' personal
attitudes and the development of society and democratic life. The journalist's
profession comprises rights and obligations, freedoms and responsibilities. The
basic principle of any ethical consideration of journalism is that a clear
distinction must be drawn between news and opinions, making it impossible to
confuse them. News is information about facts and data, while opinions convey
thoughts, ideas, beliefs or value judgments on the part of media companies,
publishers or journalists.
News
broadcasting should be based on truthfulness, ensured by the appropriate means
of verification and proof, and impartiality in presentation, description and
narration. Rumour must not be confused with news. News headlines and summaries
must reflect as closely as possible the substance of the facts and data
presented. Expression of opinions may entail thoughts or comments on general
ideas or remarks on news relating to actual events. Although opinions are
necessarily subjective and therefore cannot and should not be made subject to
the criterion of truthfulness, we must ensure that opinions are expressed
honestly and ethically. Opinions taking the form of comments on events or
actions relating to individuals or institutions should not attempt to deny or
conceal the reality of the facts or data. The media's work is one of
"mediation", providing an information service, and the rights which
they own in connection with freedom of information depends on its addressees,
that is the citizens.
Information
is a fundamental right and a human right the owner of the right is the citizen,
who also has the related right to demand that the information supplied by
journalists be conveyed truthfully, in the case of news, and honestly, in the
case of opinions, without outside interference by either the public authorities
or the private sector.
The
public authorities must not consider that they own information. The
representativeness of such authorities provides the legal basis for efforts to
guarantee and extend pluralism in the media and to ensure that the necessary
conditions are created for exercising freedom of expression and the right to
information and precluding censorship. When dealing with journalism it must be
borne in mind that it relies on the media, which are part of a corporate
structure within which a distinction must be made between publishers,
proprietors and journalists. To that end, in addition to safeguarding the
freedom of the media, freedom within the media must also be protected and
internal pressures guarded against. News organisations must consider themselves
as special socio-economic agencies whose entrepreneurial objectives have to be
limited by the conditions for providing access to a fundamental right.
News
organisations must show transparency in matters of media ownership and
management, enabling citizens to ascertain clearly the identity of proprietors
and the extent of their economic interest in the media. Inside the news
organisation, publishers and journalists must co-exist, bearing in mind that
the legitimate respect for publishers' and owners' ideological orientations is
limited by the absolute requirements on truthful news reporting and ethical
opinions. This is essential if we are to respect the citizens' fundamental
right to information.
These
requirements are such that we must reinforce the safeguards of the journalist's
freedom of expression, for they must in the last instance operate as the
ultimate sources of information. In this connection we must legally expand and
clarify the nature of the conscience clause and professional secrecy vis-à-vis
confidential sources, harmonising national provisions on this matter so that
they can be implemented in the wider context of democratic Europe. Neither
publishers and proprietors nor journalists should consider that they own the
news. News organisations must treat information not as a commodity but as a
fundamental right of the citizen. To that end, the media should exploit neither
the quality nor the substance of the news or opinions for purposes of boosting
readership or audience figures in order to increase advertising revenue. If we
are to ensure that information is treated ethically, its target audience must
be considered as individuals and not as a mass.
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