Ethics in the News
Fired Fox News host Tucker Carlson promoted false, racist narratives drawn from fringe, far-right forums
Top-rated Fox News host Tucker Carlson pushed out a week after network settles defamation suit for $787M
Don Lemon fired from CNN 2 months after apologizing for comments widely viewed as ageist, misogynistic
Proof of deliberate lies about Dominion on Fox News key to the company overcoming tough libel law standard
MyPillow founder Mike Lindell loses his election fraud challenge; must pay $5M to man who proved him wrong
Fox News’ decision to broadcast false information an ‘egregious’ violation of journalism ethics, experts say
DeSantis proposes making it easier to sue journalists with hopes of overturning landmark defamation ruling
Ex-MSNBC host Krystal Ball says she was told to get network boss’ permission before criticizing Hillary Clinton
Playbill CEO pulls article detailing abuse of staffs at Broadway theaters: ‘We want people to go to the theater’
Jenna Bush Hager selling luxury bedding upsets some NBC staffers concerned about news division’s credibility
Diversity in the News
Students from 47 HBCUs attend exclusive news briefing with VP Harris as White House correspondents for a day
NABJ: Report on Memphis police brutality case with ‘accuracy, responsibility, sensitivity, fairness, and support’
AAJA offers guidance for ‘responsibly and fairly’ covering California communities affected by mass shootings
‘Sensational storyteller’ Cecilia Vega leaves ABC’s White House beat for CBS’ ‘60 Minutes’ as correspondent
Fellowship gives students a platform for stories about their HBCUs, access to pipeline of emerging journalists
Newspaper runs heavily edited version of King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech; allegations of whitewashing follow
Visual data journalism is not always accessible to blind news audiences, but there are ways to make it so
News site whose reporting on missing Black women turned out to be right shows relevance of Black media
Rebecca Blumenstein leaves NY Times for top role at NBC News, where she will lead wide-ranging coverage
Racialized misinformation: Media incorrectly frames communities of color as more susceptible to false content
Ethics Updates
Jun 01, 2023 • Be Accountable and Transparent Ethics Update
Using Instagram to display transparency in reporting
Emily Davies, crime and criminal justice reporter for The Washington Post, uses Instagram to follow people from the communities she covers in her stories. Davies used to follow people on her personal account, but she encountered the dilemma of where to draw personal boundaries. She still wanted to let people into her day-to-day life and her process as a reporter, so she created a public Instagram account, @emilydaviesreports. SPJ’s Code of Ethics says that “ethical journalism means taking responsibility for one’s work and explaining one’s decisions to the public.” Davies uses her Instagram account to be transparent to her audience and be accountable Read More
May 10, 2023 • Be Accountable and Transparent Ethics Update Minimize Harm Seek Truth and Report It
Ensure accuracy when reporting on COVID-19
On May 5, the World Health Organization ended the emergency status for COVID-19 and the United States COVID-19 health emergency will end on Thursday. While navigating this “post-pandemic” era, it is important to continue to take care in reporting on COVID-19. Ensure you are using clear language when explaining these updates. Ending the emergency status does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global threat. Continue to follow the SPJ Code of Ethics to seek the truth and report it, including providing context and avoiding stereotypes. The New York Post recently tweeted an unrelated photo of masked Beijing residents when referring to a new COVID-19 Read More
Mar 29, 2023 • Ethics Update Minimize Harm
Covering the Nashville school shooting
Six people, including three children, were killed in a shooting at Covenant School in Nashville on Monday morning. News organizations have adopted the best practices when reporting on mass shootings to avoid misinformation and pandering to lurid curiosity. However, as Poynter notes, some coverage has focused on details about the shooter that draw away from accurate reporting. Journalists covering the shooting should follow the SPJ Code of Ethics. They must balance the public’s need for information against potential harm. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness. As information is released from this tragic event, remember to take responsibility for Read More
More on ‘‘Seek Truth and Report It’’
May 2023 • Be Accountable and Transparent Ethics Update Minimize Harm Seek Truth and Report It
Mar 2023 • Ethics Update Seek Truth and Report It
Jan 2023 • Ethics Update Minimize Harm Seek Truth and Report It
Dec 2022 • Ethics Update Minimize Harm Seek Truth and Report It
Nov 2022 • Be Accountable and Transparent Ethics Update Seek Truth and Report It
More on ‘‘Minimize Harm’’
May 2023 • Be Accountable and Transparent Ethics Update Minimize Harm Seek Truth and Report It
Mar 2023 • Ethics Update Minimize Harm
Jan 2023 • Ethics Update Minimize Harm Seek Truth and Report It
Jan 2023 • Ethics Update Minimize Harm
Dec 2022 • Ethics Update Minimize Harm Seek Truth and Report It
More on ‘‘Be Accountable and Transparent’’
Jun 2023 • Be Accountable and Transparent Ethics Update
May 2023 • Be Accountable and Transparent Ethics Update Minimize Harm Seek Truth and Report It
Feb 2023 • Be Accountable and Transparent Ethics Update
Feb 2023 • Be Accountable and Transparent Ethics Update
Jan 2023 • Be Accountable and Transparent Ethics Update
Nov 2022 • Be Accountable and Transparent Ethics Update Seek Truth and Report It
May 16, 2023 • Top Story
ReNews Project revives defunct HBCU publications, community coverage
Wesley Wright wanted to bolster news media coverage of historically Black colleges and universities and nearby communities. His idea was to bypass local, traditional media and instead equip HBCU students with the tools and training they needed to take on the lofty task. Wright, with help from a few friends and associates, transformed his vision into the ReNews Project, which gives students at HBCUs the resources to develop or restart their college publications and eventually expand coverage to surrounding communities. The project launched in 2021, and Coppin State University in Baltimore was the first to get the ReNews treatment. Continue Reading
May 13, 2022 • Top Story
After George Floyd’s death, fashion editor pivots to covering race, culture
After nearly 20 years of interviewing designers, coordinating photo shoots and identifying fashion trends, Houston Chronicle fashion editor and writer Joy Sewing yearned for a change. “I was really trying to leave,” said Sewing, a native Houstonian. “I felt like I’d done all I could do in the fashion realm that I had. I felt I needed another challenge.” Then police killed George Floyd. “When George Floyd happened, I think a lot of journalists, particularly Black journalists who may not have been focusing in a big way on issues of race, kind of felt like they had to speak up,” Continue Reading
April 14, 2022 • Top Story
Op-ed writer challenges newspaper’s decision to inform readers of past crime
Steve Schulz’s social life often led him to downtown Minneapolis, where he’d attend ball games, go to the theater or just have drinks with friends. Since he was there so much, he decided to sell his house in the suburbs and get an apartment downtown, where he could walk to his favorite hangouts. Shortly after he arrived in 2019, the coronavirus shut down the city and police killed George Floyd, leading to numerous downtown protests, some of them ending with riots. There were other issues: noise from drag racers, more frequent sirens, more protests, more riots and rising crime. Continue Reading
February 17, 2022 • Top Story
Hicks: Palin case dismissal comes with a reminder of vulnerability
February 16, 2022 • Top Story
Beyond the Zucker headlines, another ethics issue
Jeff Zucker’s departure from the network he led has been big news. But media executives and newsroom managers who strive to produce journalism with high ethical standards should take note of a passing detail in the events at CNN that preceded his leaving. CNN guidance that would have prevented former host Chris Cuomo from interviewing his brother, then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was waived during the early days of the pandemic, apparently with Zucker’s support. Zucker resigned Feb. 2, saying he failed to report a consensual relationship with a close colleague, CNN Chief Marketing Officer Allison Gollust (who has Continue Reading
In Depth: SPJ’s Code of Ethics
Never plagiarize. Always attribute.
Learn more about this statement, and the rest of SPJ’s Code of Ethics, here.
This free platform helps you find diverse experts for your storiesAre you a journalist who wants to diversify the stories you tell by including more people of color while streamlining your search for reputable sources? This platform is especially for you.
Race & Gender Hotline: Get fast answers to sensitive questionsSPJ has editors on call with experience resolving race and gender issues in news stories. They respond quickly to your questions and offer concrete advice.
Contact our Ethics Hotline if you’re faced with a tough ethical decisionThere’s often no easy solution for ethical issues, but we’ll coach you through yours using principles outlined in SPJ’s Code of Ethics.
Dig through our toolbox for resources to help with ethical issuesThe toolbox for journalists has information on a wide range of topics, such as ethical considerations for data visualizations. Find the topic that interests you.
