Code of ethics

CEP JOURNALISM CODE OF ETHICS PREAMBLE Journalists report, analyze, and comment on the facts that help their fellow citizens understand the world in which they live. Complete, accurate and diverse information and commentary are necessary for the proper functioning of democracy. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognizes this by guaranteeing freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Journalists must defend the freedom of the press and the public’s right to information; they must fight any restrictions, pressures and threats that aim to limit the gathering and dissemination of information. Facts and ideas that are in the public interest must circulate freely. Our legal traditions give media privilege and protection. We must return this trust through the ethical practice of our craft. A free press should serve the public interest, not personal or specific interests. Serving the public interest must override any desire to favour the financial and competitive needs of news organizations or their parent companies. The rights and responsibilities of a free press apply to both individual journalists and to news organizations that employ them. Journalists must take their role very seriously. They must demand of themselves the same ethical qualities they demand of newsmakers; in other words, they cannot denounce other people’s conflicts of interest, and at the same time, accept their own. This Code establishes the principles that should guide journalistic work in organizations where CEP collective agreements are in force. These principles lay the foundation for a journalist’s most precious asset: credibility. Therefore, those of us engaged in journalism and newsroom management commit ourselves to: truth, honesty, fairness, independence and respect for the rights of others. To achieve these goals the following principles shall govern our activity in the collection and dissemination of news and opinion: PRINCIPLES 1) We shall at all times defend the principle of the freedom of the press and other media in relation to the collection of information and the expression of comment and criticism. 2) We shall strive to eliminate distortion, news suppression and censorship. 3) We shall strive to ensure that the information disseminated is fair and accurate, avoiding the expression of comment and conjecture as established fact and falsification by distortion, selection or misrepresentation. 4) We shall give an accurate account of what people say. Quotations, editing, sound effects, etc., and the sequence in which they are presented, must not distort the meaning of people’s words. 5) We shall rectify promptly any harmful inaccuracies, ensure that correction and apologies receive due prominence and afford the right of reply to persons criticized when the issue is of sufficient importance. 6) We shall give people or organizations that are publicly accused or criticized prompt opportunity to respond. We shall make a genuine and exhaustive effort to contact them. If they decline to comment we will say so. 7) We shall tell sources who are unfamiliar with the media that their remarks may be published or broadcast and thus communicated to a large group of people. 8) We shall obtain information, photographs and illustrations only by straightforward means. The use of other means can be justified only by over-riding considerations of the public interest. A journalist is entitled to exercise a personal conscientious objection to the use of such means. 9) We shall ensure that photographs, graphics, sounds and images that are published or broadcast represent reality as accurately as possible. Artistic concerns shall not result in public deception. Edited images and photographs shall be identified as such. 10) We shall always credit the originating news organization or reporter so that readers/viewers know the sources of their information. 11) We shall never plagiarize. If we use an exclusive piece of information that has just been published or broadcast by another media organization, we shall identify the source. 12) Subject to the justification by over-riding considerations of the public interest, we shall do nothing that entails intrusion into private grief and distress. 13) We shall respect everyone’s right to a fair trial. We shall respect the presumed innocence of everyone before the courts. When we have covered an incident where individuals have been incriminated and prosecuted, we will continue to follow the story as closely as possible, and ensure the public is informed of the end result. 14) We shall identify sources of information, except when there is a clear and pressing reason to protect anonymity. When this happens, we will explain the need for anonymity. 15) We shall endeavor to protect confidential sources of information, but since there are no shield laws protecting journalists in Canada we may be ordered by a court or judicial inquiry to divulge confidential sources upon threat of jail. Therefore we must convey that clearly to our sources. 16) We shall not accept bribes nor shall we allow other inducements to influence the performance of our journalistic duties. 17) We shall not lend ourselves to the distortion or suppression of the truth because of advertising or other considerations. 18) Columnists shall be free to express their views, even when those views are contrary to the editorial views of their organization, as long as the content does not breach the law. 19) We shall only mention a person’s age, ethnic background, colour, creed, illegitimacy, disability, marital status (or lack of it), gender or sexual orientation if this information is strictly relevant. We shall neither originate nor process material that encourages discrimination, ridicule, prejudice or hatred on any of the above-mentioned grounds. 20) We shall not take private advantage of information gained in the course of our duties, before the information is public knowledge. 21) We shall not use our positions to obtain any benefit or advantage in commercial transactions not available to the public. 22) We shall not by way of statement, voice or appearance endorse by advertisement any commercial product or service save for the promotion of our own work or of the organization that employs us. 23) We shall clearly identify infomercials so they are not in any way confused — even by their layout — with information. 24) We shall cover events sponsored by our own organizations with the same rigor we apply to every other event. 25) We shall not act as police informers or as agents for any country’s security or intelligence services.