According to anon blog The Doe there are five core principles of journalism that should be adhered to. The core principles of ethical journalism are an excellent platform to build from for anyone who wants to showcase responsibility in how they use information, whether a secure blog or journalistic article.
With journalism, there are hundreds of different codes of conduct, statements outlining principles, and charters for journalism. However, these 5 main principles remain central to all of the codes and statements that exist even if a lot of larger news corporations don't tend to follow them to the tee any longer.
The Doe sees these five core ideals as central to what good journalism is and upholds them at all times. Here they are:
1. Accuracy and Truth
While a journalist cannot always guarantee that they are reporting on the truth, they can guarantee the accuracy of their reporting. Getting the facts right is one of the cardinal rules of journalism. A journalist should strive for accuracy at all times and get all of the facts after thoroughly checking them. When a journalist cannot corroborate the information they are reporting on, they should say so accordingly.
2. Independence
A journalist should be an independent voice. They should not have an internal bias or act on behalf of any sort of special interest. They should make both their editors and audience aware of any sort of affiliation they have and disclose any financial arrangements they might have that could create an inherent bias or conflict of interest.
3. Impartial
Every story has at least two sides to it. While a journalist isn't tasked with the duty of necessarily presenting both sides with every piece they put out, the stories they do put out should be balanced and add the sort of context that allows the reader to form their own opinion. While it's not always entirely possible to have complete objectivity and it might not even be desirable to have complete objectivity, having impartial reporting can really build the confidence of your audience.
4. Humanity
No journalist should do any harm to others. A journalist should fully understand how their publication could hurt others.
5. Accountability
Being an ethical and professional journalist requires being willing and able to hold yourself accountable. As a journalist, if you make an error, you need to not only be able to acknowledge them, but also correct them. An ethical journalist will listen to the criticism and concerns of their audience and they will note instances where they may have been unfair and work to correct them.