Adopted by the Second World Congress of the International Federation of Journalists at Bordeaux on 25-28 April 1954 and amended by the 18th IFJ World Congress in Helsingör on 2-6 June 1986.
This international Declaration is proclaimed as a standard of professional conduct for journalists engaged in gathering, transmitting, disseminating and commenting on news and information and in describing events.
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5. The journalist shall do the utmost to rectify any published information which is found to be harmfully inaccurate.
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7. The journalist shall be aware of the danger of discrimination being furthered by the media, and shall do the utmost to avoid facilitating such discrimination based on, among other things, race, sex, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinions, and national or social origins.
Respect for truth and the public's right to know are overriding principles for all journalists. In pursuance of these principles journalists commit themselves to ethical and professional standards. All members of the AJA section engaged in gathering, transmitting, disseminating and commenting on news and information shall observe the following code of ethics in their professional activities. They acknowledge the jurisdiction of their professional colleagues in the AJA judiciary committees to adjudicate on issues connected with the code.
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2. They shall not place unnecessary emphasis on gender, race, sexual preference, religious belief, marital status or physical or mental disability.
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10. They shall do their utmost to correct any published or broadcast information found to be harmfully inaccurate.
CODE OF ETHICS
Preamble
Members of the Society of Professional journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards of practice.
Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.
Journalists should:
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Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social sum.
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Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other. Journalists should:
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Encourage the public to voice grievances against the news media.
Admit mistakes and correct them promptly
Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media.
Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others.
Sigma Delta Chi's first Code of Ethics was borrowed from the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1926. In 1973, Sigma Delta Chi wrote its own code, which was revised in 1984 and 1987. The present version of the Society of Professional journalists' Code of Ethics was adopted in September 1996.
A STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES
PREAMBLE
The First Amendment, protecting freedom of expression from abridgment by any law, guarantees to the people through their press a constitutional right, and thereby places on newspaper people a particular responsibility.
Thus journalism demands of its practitioners not only industry and knowledge but also the pursuit of a standard of integrity proportionate to the journalist's singular obligation.
To this end the American Society of Newspaper Editors sets forth this Statement of Principles as a standard encouraging the highest ethical and professional performance.
ARTICLE I - Responsibility
The primary purpose of gathering and distributing news and opinion is to serve the general welfare by informing the people and enabling them to make judgments on the issues of the time. Newspapermen and women who abuse the power of their professional role for selfish motives or unworthy purposes are faithless to that public trust.
The American press was made free not just to inform or just to serve as a forum for debate but also to bring an independent scrutiny to bear on the forces of power in the society, including the conduct of official power at all levels of government.
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ARTICLE IV - Truth and Accuracy
Good faith with the reader is the foundation of good journalism. Every effort must be made to assure that the news content is accurate, free from bias and in context, and that all sides are presented fairly. Editorials, analytical articles and commentary should be held to the same standards of accuracy with respect to facts as news reports.
Significant errors of fact, as well as errors of omission, should be corrected promptly, and prominently.
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ARTICLE VI - Fair Play
Journalists should respect the rights of people involved in the news, observe the common standards of decency and stand accountable to the public for the fairness and accuracy of their news reports.
Originally adopted in 1922 as the "Canons of Journalism," the document was revised and renamed "Statement of Principles" on October 23, 1975.
CODE OF PROFESSIONAL PRINCIPLES OF THE PRESS
Adopted by the Press Council (Basin Konseyi) in April 1989.
Preamble
Considering freedom of the press a precondition of human dignity and the democracy in our country;
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1. No person shall be denounced or ridiculed in publications on account of his/ her race, sex, social status or religious beliefs.
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16. The press shall respect the right of reply and correction arising from inaccurate information.
CODE OF ETHICS
Approved on 31 October 1988 by five Greek journalists' unions: the Union of Journalists of Daily Newspapers of Athens, the Union of Journalists of Daily Newspapers of Macedonia-Thrace, the Union of Journalists of Daily Newspapers of Peloponissos, Epirus and Islands, the Union of Journalists of Daily Newspapers of Thessaly, Sterea, Evia and the Union of Journalists of Periodical Press.
DUTIES OF JOURNALISTS
Adopted by the National Federation of the Italian Press and National Council Order of Journalists in Rome on 8 July 1993. Translated by the Federation.
INTRODUCTION
Journalists job is inspired on principles of freedom of information and of opinions, it is confirmed by the Italian Constitution and governed by the second article of the Italian law n. 1969 dated on 3 February 1963.
"Freedom of information and of expression are insuppressible rights of all journalists, they are limited by the observance of the rules of law and suggested to the protection of other people's personality, they always follow all duties set by lealty and good faith, the respect of the truth of facts is an unbreakable duty. All news, that will be inexact, must be rectified, and eventual mistakes must be correct. Journalists and publishers are obliged to respect the professional secrecy on the sources of a piece of information, when it is required by the fiduciary character of them; they have to promote the spirit of collaboration between colleagues, the cooperation between journalists and publishers, and the trust in press and in readers."
Trust relationship between information organs and people is the foundation for every journalists' job. To promote and make settlement of this relationship all Italian journalists undersign the following Ethic Code (Carta de Doveri).
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A journalist has to respect people, their dignity and their right of secrecy and he can never discriminate against anyone according to race, religion, sex, mental and physical condition, and political views.
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A journalist cannot discriminate against people according to race, religion, mental and physical conditions, and political opinions.
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A journalist respects the people's inviolable right to the rectification of incorrect news or news that is wrong and prejudicial to people's interests.
A journalist makes rectification, therefore, with timeliness and appropriate emphasis . . . of all news that, after their wide diffusion (spreading), seem to be incorrect or erroneous, especially when the mistakes can damage people, organizations, categories, associations and communities.