Ethics

Reliable journalism is based on applying strict editorial ethics to all we do so that we can examine the issues that have the most impact on the lives of our audience.

A media organisation will be judged on the accuracy and reliability of its journalism, which must be well-sourced, supported by strong evidence, examined and tested, clear and unambiguous. Verified facts must form the basis of all news, not rumour or speculation.

In journalism, public trust is essential for credibility. One of the most significant threats to that trust are the many possible conflicts of interest that might confront journalists.

Journalists face a difficult balancing act. They must respect privacy, but they must also investigate issues that are in the public interest.

For journalists, being impartial means presenting information without demonstrating favouritism towards any specific viewpoint or party.

Fairness in journalism means exploring all sides of an issue and reporting the findings accurately.

The Media Helping Media ethics section is designed to help journalists navigate some of the challenges they might face as they go about their work.

The following are commonly accepted ethical guidelines for photojournalists adopted by most mainstream media.