Founded in 1909, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) has a code of ethics that journalists are encouraged to honor. While not every news outlet may adhere to this code, there is an expectation that mainstream news organizations will follow these ethical guidelines.
SPJ members "believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity." According to the SPJ, the four principals of ethical journalism are:
1. Seek Truth and Report It: Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair. Journalists should be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.
2. Minimize Harm: Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public as human beings deserving of respect.
3. Act Independently:The highest and primary obligation of ethical journalism is to serve the public.
4. Be Accountable and Transparent: Ethical journalism means taking responsibility for one’s work and explaining one’s decisions to the public.
(Source: Society of Professional Journalists)
Source: AllSides Media Bias
| Journalism | Entertainment | Publicity | Propoganda | Raw Information | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | To Inform | To Amuse | To Promote | To Build Mass Support | To Bypass |
| Method | Verification, Independence, Accountability | Storytelling, performance, visually, music | Public Relations Activities | One-Side Accounts or Manipulation | Social Networks |
| Practitioners | Reporters, Videographers, Editors | Actors, Musicians, Producers | Publicists, Gov't Spokespersons | Political Operatives | Anyone with Internet |
| Outcome | Empowers Citizens through Education | Increased Sales | Heightened Awareness | Group Gains Power | Outlet for Self-Expression |
In December 2016, Vanessa Otero, a patent attorney, created a chart for evaluating bias and quality of news sources. While her chart is not meant to be comprehensive, it does provide a tool for considering where a particular news source might fall on the spectrum she provides.
Otero's Assumptions:
View Otero's video, "Intro to the Media Bias Chart, Definitions and Methodology" to learn more about her methodology.
For text descriptions of various news sources, click on the interactive version of the chart.
For past charts, visit this Media Bias Chart Gallery from Ad Fontes Media.
Image Source: Ad Fontes Media
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