Our view

Taking a look at ourselves

This being Ethics in Journalism Week, personnel in The Fort Scott Tribune newsroom are reviewing the professional ethics under which we operate. Measuring our work against these principles is a daily practice for those of us who seek, collect and write news for living, but occasionally it's wise to go back and really take an accounting of ourselves as journalists.

While there are some differences between big city publications and small town newspapers, they deal with many of the same issues and strive to achieve the same mission -- to keep the citizens informed and to monitor government, big business and organizations that affect us both individually and as a whole.

Sometimes even good journalism is untidy.

Sometimes it's downright painful. There are people and organizations that seek to squelch publication of some controversial or embarrassing news stories, but the public's right to be informed is fundamental to the preservation of our liberty as Americans.

The First Amendment to the American Constitution wasn't just tossed in there for filler. It's there because freedom can't survive unless an uncensored press is allowed to shine its light into the dark corners, so everyone can see what's happening and make their judgments accordingly.

The news media are this nation's watchdogs -- often noisy, sometimes unruly, but indispensable to a free society.

Some journalists for major news outlets have damaged the credibility of the entire news industry by using other people's work, blatantly making up news, or sensationalizing with inflammatory language to sway public opinion. That goes against the most basic tenets of journalism, and that's why the rest of us have to work diligently to regain the public trust. We must continue to seek out and report the news in a manner that is as factual, thorough and balanced as possible.

Conscientious journalists strive for accuracy and never deliberately distort the facts or mislead the public. When a mistake is made, they correct it as quickly as possible.They attribute information to its sources whenever possible and work to obtain all sides of the story. When there are allegations of wrongdoing, good journalists give the accused an opportunity to respond. They don't rush a story into print before they have the facts.

Compassion should be shown to people who could be adversely affected by a news article; a good journalist uses additional caution and consideration when interviewing or writing about children, crime victims, or people who are inexperienced in dealing with reporters. One of the most important characteristics for a journalist -- and one of the most difficult to achieve -- is the ability to avoid pre-conceived ideas or stereotypes. When writing about criminal cases, an ethical journalist balances the suspect's or defendant's rights with the public's right to information. A good journalist never compromises his or her integrity and never lets any special interest or obligation interfere with the honest, thorough, and balanced delivery of news. Good journalists push forward and dig deep to obtain the whole truth, even when pressure and threats are being applied to stop them. They also support the public's right to access into the meetings of government and to inspect the records of governmental bodies.

Journalists don't take a ceremonial pledge to adhere to these principles, but those with integrity live by them every day. Although we might sometimes fall short, bringing accurate and unbiased news to the public is an obligation we take seriously.

Robin Hixson Managing Editor