EYE ON ETHICS

First posted on the Facebook page of the Philippine Center for Photojournalism. To view the original note, click Code of Ethics.

Photojournalists and those involve in visual news gathering should uphold the following standards in their line of work:

1. I shall be truthful, accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.
2. I shall respect the integrity of the photographic moment and resist participation in staged photo opportunities (drawing).
3. I shall avoid stereotyping and represent reality without personal bias to race, creed, sex and religious, political and cultural beliefs.
4. I shall treat all subjects with respect and dignity. I shall presume persons accused of crime of being innocent until proven otherwise. I shall avoid intruding on private moments of grief, crime or tragedy.
5. I shall not intentionally alter, contribute to or influence events being photographed.
6. I shall maintain the integrity of the images’ content and context during editing, being careful not to manipulate, add or alter.
7. I shall not pay, or reward materially, sources or subjects for information or participation.
8. I shall not let personal motives or interests influence me in the performance of my duties; I shall not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to influence coverage.
9. I shall avoid actions that can sabotage the efforts of other journalists.
10. I shall respect other individual’s intellectual and property rights to his or her images and not misrepresent them as my own.
11. I shall respect the confidentiality of my sources.
12. I shall resort only to fair and honest methods in my effort to obtain news, photographs or documents.
13. I shall defend the rights of access for all journalists and strive for total and unrestricted access to subjects and seek  a diversity of viewpoints.

I shall strive by example and influence to maintain the spirit and high standards expressed in this code. Practitioners of this profession should continuously study their craft and the ethics that guide it.

Released on 23 March 2011, on the 16th “monthsary” of the Ampatuan Massacre.

*Adapted from the Philippine Journalist’s Code of Ethics and the Code of the National Press Photographers Association of America (NPPA).

Reposted with permission from Armando Siahaan.
The original article can be accessed here.

Armando Siahaan writes the weekly column “Jakarta Journo”, which is published by The Jakarta Globe every Monday.

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Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam took center stage last week with his rant calling for government institutions to boycott placing advertisements in critical media outlets. While his tirade was undoubtedly undemocratic and uncalled for, it is not a bad idea to take a moment to reflect on the role of the media in Indonesia.

The fall of Suharto in 1998 removed the authoritarian boot heel that had been held on the neck of press freedom, instantly reviving the fourth pillar of democracy. News organizations burgeoned and people were once again given access to journalistic tools that could serve as an important check on government abuses.

More than a decade later, however, it is important to acknowledge some of the internal limitations that are holding back journalism here.

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See related article, “Media coverage of the Reyes Suicide: Breaking all the rules“

Eye on Ethics: The ethics of reporting suicide by Debbie Uy

The University of Hong Kong’s Suicide and the Media

The Poynter Institute: Reporting on Suicide

World Health Organization’s Preventing Suicide: A resource for media professionals

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Reposted with permission from The Nut Graph
The original article can be accessed here.
By Ding Jo-Ann, Contributing journalist to The Nut Graph

MALAYSIA–HOW is the Malaysian media measuring up to its role? If some newspapers’ treatment of what constitutes news is anything to go by, it is clear that some among the Malaysian media are not only unprofessional. They are also causing harm to vulnerable groups.

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Climate change is not a hot issue in Indonesian elections, but it sure can become one. This archipelagic nation of 237, 6 million people (May 2010 census) has a general election for 560 seats in the national legislature and a presidential election every five years, the most recent being in 2009. In any given year, a local election for governor, mayor, or district chief can occur in Indonesia’s 33 provinces and 440 plus cities and districts. One upcoming local election is for mayor of the bustling city of Depok, 20 kilometers south of Jakarta, October 16 2010.

Education, health, jobs, and the environment are all campaign and public issues. And climate change is moving to take center stage in the environment platform.
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