Journalism Ethics: Who’s Paid By Whom?

I thought this piece from Edward Wasserman at the Society of American Business Writers and Editors was very pertinent to today’s world. In essence, he says, today’s journalism comes from interested citizens, freelancers who may do other, non-journalism writing on the side, and writers funded by direct advertising, grants, or some other model. In other words, it’s nowhere near as objective as it once was.

Wasserman offers up some rules he thinks media organizations should cleave to, and I couldn’t agree more:
1. Presume good faith.

2. Be clear on the principles at stake.

3. Actively encourage recusals.

4. Require internal disclosure.

5. Get people to talk about this.

6. Tell the public when appropriate.

7. Police others.

What else would you add to the list?

1. How Not To Deal With A Journalist

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.