Ethics in Journalism

The reputation of journalists is continually being questioned. Nearly every public opinion poll shows that people have lost respect for journalists and lost faith in the news media. In this fully updated and expanded 6th edition of Ethics in Journalism, author Ron F. Smith provides a highly readable introduction to journalism ethics, and offers solutions for the many ethical dilemmas facing journalists today.

• Utilizes dozens of new case studies, mostly taken from everyday experiences of reporters at both large and smaller newspapers and TV stations
• Explores the practical ethical issues involved in developing sources, coming to terms with objectivity, and bringing compassion to the pressures of journalism
• Considers the impact of blogs and the internet on traditional values of journalism
• Compares journalistic practices across different free societies

Preface.

Part I: Principles and Guidelines.

1. The Search for Principles.

2. The Study of Ethics.

Part II: Telling the Truth.

3. Truth and objectivity.

4. Errors.

5. Transparency.

6. Faking the News.

Part III: Reporting the News.

7. Working with sources.

8. The Government Watch.

9. The shady world of unnamed sources.

10. Deception.

Part IV: Compassion and the Journalist.

11. Compassion, privacy and ordinary citizens.

12. Privacy for Political Leaders.

13. Compassion and Photographers.

Part V: Conflicts of Interest.

14. Journalists and Their Communities.

15. Freebies and Financial Concerns.

16. The Business of Journalism.

Cases to Discuss.

Index

Ron F. Smith is a professor of journalism at the University of Central Florida, Orlando. He teaches editing, newspaper design, online journalism, and mass media ethics. Professor Smith has worked for newspapers in Indiana, Ohio, and Florida including stints as a police and court reporter, sports copy editor, wire editor, and news editor. The reputation of journalists is continually being questioned. Nearly every public opinion poll shows that people have lost respect for journalists and lost faith in the news media. In this fully updated and expanded sixth edition of Ethics in Journalism, author Ron F. Smith provides a highly readable introduction to journalism ethics, and offers solutions for the many ethical dilemmas facing journalists today.

Fully revised and updated throughout, the new edition:

• Utilizes dozens of new case studies, most taken from everyday experiences of reporters at both large and smaller newspapers and TV stations
• Explores the practical ethical issues involved in developing sources, coming to terms with objectivity, and bringing compassion to the pressures of journalism
• Considers the impact of blogs and the Internet on traditional values of journalism
• Relates American journalistic practices to those of media in other free societies
• Examines the effect of the changing ownership models on the quality of journalism
• Provides a philosophical perspective to ethical questions