Standards of professional ethics of a journalist

Journalism plays a huge role in the modern information world. The mass media, relying on true knowledge, help the reader navigate the constantly changing, infinitely large and, in general, little familiar to him personally. But in order for the press to fulfill its mission and at the same time not violate the legitimate interests of those with whom the journalist comes into contact, its behavior must be regulated.

Along with civic responsibility, as its continuation, concretization and regulation in the journalistic environment, principles, norms and rules of ethical responsibility are formed. Ethics (Greek etos - "custom") is a science that studies and formulates the theoretical foundations and practical requirements of morality (Latin Mores - "morals") as a field of professional consciousness, reflecting and regulating the mores in the practical behavior of people. The requirements of morality as one of the regulators of behavior, in contrast to legal norms, are not formulated in legislative acts. They are developed in the course of public practice, and their implementation is monitored by public opinion, public organizations, labor collectives that sometimes create "courts of honor" or similar bodies operating on a voluntary basis.

The essence of professional ethics is scientific support for the morally impeccable performance by professionals of their role in accordance with generally accepted ethical principles in society. So, along with the "general" ethics, there is a medical, legal, pedagogical ethics. Journalistic ethics is also a special area of ​​professional ethics.

The professional ethics of a journalist is legally, not recorded, but accepted in the journalistic environment and supported by the power of public opinion, professional and creative organizations, moral precepts - the principles, norms and rules of moral behavior of a journalist. They are based on the idea of ​​the best from the ethical point of view of performing professional duty in accordance with the accepted in society notions of good and evil in their application to journalistic activities.

The very process of journalistic work, and most importantly, its result, in one way or another, affects the interests of many. A person's professional fitness for journalism cannot be judged without taking into account his moral qualities, which for this type of work are no less important than qualifications. The professional here almost always acts as moral, and vice versa.

Journalistic ethics is a concept that denotes the study and practical application of standards of professional conduct in journalism, the specifics of the moral choice arising here. In journalistic ethics, the system of values ​​and moral principles, as a rule, is combined with the problem of choice that arises in the daily activities of the press. In a situation of value choice, we often have to deal with the concepts of “right and wrong,” with degrees of right and wrong. Such moral conflicts arise constantly, and the accumulated experience of resolving them is reflected in professional morality. Thus, there is the concept of "journalistic ethics", the meaning of which relates to the field of decision-making in the selection of news. And the concept of "ethics in journalism" implies a code of conduct.

Journalistic ethics extend to the decision-making process in specific situations, but here again the choice must be related to fundamental rules and principles. For journalists, this means the need to make a choice that is consistent with the rules and principles of the profession, recorded in the code of ethics. In practice, moral choice presupposes a certain freedom in decision-making, in which gradations of right and wrong are possible, since it is impossible to find a moral solution that is suitable for all cases of life. Some ethical norms and principles are codified in the law, in which case the state requires its citizens to follow a specific rule or principle in their decision-making process. Journalism ethics allow for more individual freedom.

Over the past fifteen years, in other words, since the advent of independent journalism in our country, the ethical issues of its existence have become more acute. In our society, a negative image of the “yellow press”, “corrupt journalists” and simply “journalist” has already formed. A largely contradictory situation is developing. On the one hand, journalism is considered a prestigious profession. On the other hand, there remains an openly wary attitude towards journalists on the part of not only persons who may be objects of journalistic professional interest, but also ordinary people.

In me The negative attitude towards journalists stems from stereotypes that have developed, not least due to the fault of some reporters and observers, many of whom have made a dizzying career precisely because of their virtual disregard for the norms of professional ethics. What are these stereotypes?

"Journalists are arrogant and unceremonious." "They are corrupt: they will smear anyone on the asphalt for money." "Journalists will twist and distort everything." "They are always chasing fried facts, but more often they come up with them themselves, giving rise to cheap sensations."

Doors are slammed in front of journalists; they turn away from their cameras, cover the lens and their own faces with their palm. And not always because there is something to be ashamed of and something to hide. Often just out of distrust. And then the question of the same discredited ethics arises again: what to do in this case?

Thus, a journalist, an employee of a profession where there are so many standardized techniques, but so few absolute rules, has a whole range of possible solutions, choosing between an ethical and an unethical act.