General Ethics:

According to Gerald Corey, Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions, (NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1999), some basic principles found in ethical tradtions are:

-- Autonomy / people make their own choices without manipulation

-- Nonmaleficence / do no harm

-- Benificence / help people

-- Justice / fairness, treat all people alike

-- Fidelity / honor commitment to those you serve

-- Veracity / truthfulness

Social responsibility standards. (Hutchins Commission)  The media should ...   

-- Provide a truthful, comprehensive and intelligent account

-- Serve as a forum 

-- project a representative picture of the constituent groups in the society.

-- present and clarify the goals and values of the society

-- provide full access to the day's intelligence.

Professional Journalism standards and ethics  (Society of Professional Journalists)

• -- Prescriptive:

   

  • Serve public interest
  • Seek the truth and report it
  • Minimize harm
  • Act independently 
  • Be accountable
  • Be fair to all

     

     

• -- Proscriptive: 

   

  • Do not plagiarize
  • Do not lie
  • Do not hurt people
  • Do not accept gifts or favors
  • Dont be afraid of criticism 

     

Question: Are there any special standards that should be applied to science or environmental journalism? 

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I want to reply to the article about global warming. I did not see one piece of eveidence that it is not man-made. They gave no resolution to the problem. I think it is interesting that they would take the time out to say they do not think it is a man-made problem, but not say what it could be. The truth is that humans have been destroying the environment for years and I think Al Gore is right in saying:

“Climate deniers fall into the same camp as people who still don’t believe we landed on the moon,” said the former vice president’s spokeswoman, Kalee Kreider. “We don’t think this should distract us from the reality.”

In response to the question posed above, I do not think science and environmental journalism should be held to different standard. Every journalist has to publish the facts without going against the guildlines of journalism. I think it is important that every jourmalist follows the same set of rules and is not manipulative or offensive. Journalism is a serious task and if it is not taken seriously by the person doing it then the community will have no reason to believe or read what is said.