The Importance of

ETHICS
in

SCHOLASTIC JOURNALISM
Maggie Cogar
Kent State University

Ethics requires that

intelligence fuse with intuition,
that the process be internalized,
and that decisions be made
quickly and naturally."
- Rushworth Kidder

Why is it important to teach ethics

to high school journalism students?
Teaching journalism is to teach more than a subject. It is to
teach a craft, a profession a responsibility. If high school
students want to publish content as if they are professionals,
they must first realize that power and responsibility. Thats
where teaching ethics comes in.
Thinking about ethics is to think about what journalism is
and what journalists do.
Karen Sanders

All we have to lose is

our credibility.
H.L. Hall

A 2006 Gallup Poll on Honesty

& Ethics revealed that
th

journalists were ranked 13 out of 23 professions as 26% of

respondents said journalists had high or very high ethical
standardsOverall, journalists were listed above state
governors, business executives, and lawyers, but below
chiropractors, bankers, and psychiatrists.

A 1996 Harris Poll on revealed that 75% of American adults

said journalism is politically biased, and only 33% said news
media dealt fairly with all sides.

Are these results accurate?

and disturbing?

YES.
For a profession in which prides itself on
truth and accuracy for a profession in
which, in this new age of media, relies on
their audience to believe in their truth
and accuracy to survive. The lack of
sound ethical decisions equals the lack of
credibility in the eyes of the public.

And, it all starts with student

journalists
Ethical decision making skills can be taught, can be practiced, and indeed they
SHOULD be taught to and practiced by journalism students. There are many ways to
do this at the scholastic level, but always keep in mind teaching ethics is a process.

3 Keys to Teaching Journalism Ethics:

#1 - Questioning
#2 - Discussion
#3 - Reflection

Questioning.
Students must question their actions,
their motives, and the expected outcome.

Discussion.
Students must discuss with others, challenge their
views and beliefs and come to an editorial decision.

Reflection.
Students must be given time to reflect and
process their personal beliefs and viewpoints.

10 Questions to Ask Before Publishing*

What do I know? What do I need to know?
What is my journalistic purpose?
What are my ethical concerns?
What organizational policies and
professional guidelines should I consider?

*Questions created by ASNEs Ethics Committee

10 Questions, Continued
How can I include other people, with
different perspectives and diverse ideas, in the
decision-making process?
What are the stakeholders those affected
by my decision? What are their motivations?
Which are legitimate?
What if the roles were reversed? How would
I feel if I were in the shoes of one of the
stakeholders?

10 Questions, Continued
What are the possible consequences of my
actions? Short term? Long term?
What are my alternatives to maximize my
truth-telling responsibility and minimize
harm?
Can I clearly and fully justify my thinking
and my decision? To my colleagues? To the
stakeholders? To the public?