What is it?
Need and Importance of Media Ethics
- maintaining public trust
- informing a healthy democracy
- protecting individual rights
- promoting social responsibility
- accountability and transparency
Challenges
- Misinformation
- Fake news
- Sensationalized reporting
- social media and citizen journalism
Press Council of India
PCI helps uphold media ethics
Responsibilities
- Preserving press freedom
- maintaining ethical standards
- investigating complaints
- issuing advisories
Code of Conduct
Core Principles:
Link to original
- Accuracy and Objectivity: Journalists are obligated to strive for accurate reporting, verifying information from reliable sources and presenting multiple perspectives to ensure a balanced and unbiased view.
- Fairness and Impartiality: Expressing personal opinions as facts is strictly discouraged. Journalists should present all sides of an issue fairly and avoid sensationalizing or misleading narratives.
- Privacy: Respecting individuals’ right to privacy is crucial. Sensitive information or private details should not be published without consent, unless newsworthiness or public interest outweighs privacy concerns.
- Avoidance of Incitement: Reporting should not deliberately incite violence, hatred, or communal disharmony.
- Defamation: Publishing false or misleading information that damages someone’s reputation is strictly prohibited.
- Substantiation: Assertions and accusations must be supported by credible evidence.
- Prejudicial Reporting: Journalists should avoid prejudicing any ongoing legal proceedings or investigations through their reporting.
- Contempt of Court: Publishing information that undermines the authority or dignity of the judiciary is a punishable offense.