The NPPA Code Of Ethics In Journalism

By definition, Journalism is ‘the distribution of news, events, facts, and ideas that are worth talking about, and informs the society to some degree’ (Journalism). Photojournalism is simply communicating that news through pictures. According to the NPPA Code of Ethics, when the walls between a source and a writer are breached, the very definition of ‘journalist’ is debated. While breaching those walls may not be considered a ‘correct’ action from a journalist, in extreme cases a journalist should put his or her equipment down and assist those in need, especially if lives are at risk. While it is mainly up to the journalist to decide in a moment what is ‘newsworthy’, PBS Newshour has set out a few ground rules for newsworthiness. The first

The Ethical Journalism Network has set out a baseline for bringing fair news, and the first rule of thumb is for journalists to be independent. This is especially important when reporting on politics. Having your own voice and not acting on behalf of one side is crucial as to not sway the audience. A successful journalist is one who can deliver facts free from editorial bias. Fairness and Impartiality go hand in hand with independence, journalists should make sure they present all of the sides to any situation. The EJN states that getting facts straight is the cardinal principle of journalism. Journalists should keep a sense of humanity about them, and never try to do any harm. What is broadcasted may be hurtful, and they should be aware of the impact of their words. Also, should any mistakes be made or pointed out, journalists should hold themselves accountable and sincerely correct any errors. A rule in journalism is that edited pictures are highly frowned upon, even adding a filter is bad. Anything that changes the meaning or content of the image so as to mislead viewers is considered unethical. The Associated Press states that ‘pictures must always tell the truth, we do not alter or digitally manipulate the content of a photograph in any

Exploitation of poor is a controversial topic for photojournalists, and both sides of the argument have good points. Reporting on poverty can be difficult, especially since the rules for how reporters should write about the underclass have become more and more vague. One side of the argument is that if one journalistic duty is to hold the public accountable for the realities of democracy, then it is crucial to tell the stories of those who are losing out (Fitts). Some argue that reports about the underclasses are essential, for ‘reporting poverty that takes the reader inside the lives of the poor is arguably journalism's most powerful tool to illustrate what might otherwise just be a statistic’ (Smolkin). ‘How the other half lives’, the 1890 book by journalist and social reformer Jacob Riis that documented poverty on New York’s lower east side, is widely hailed as groundbreaking for Riis’ intimacy with his subjects (Fitts). Another positive element of showing the world those in deprivation is that it can force readers to empathize with the subjects, and possibly motivate agencies into action. ‘Without journalists fulfilling that essential role, the resources needed to help on a larger scale might never have arrived’