Stephen Glass Journalism

1164 Words3 Pages

Ethics are a structure of moral philosophies that guide the actions done by humans. This system of morals is present in everyday life, especially in the workplace. Whether a person’s profession falls in the fields of health, sales, education, or any other type of career, a code of ethics is designed and enacted. This is no different when dealing with journalism, and when one breaks this important code, one is punished. Stephen Glass’s story demonstrates what happens when a journalist disobeys the responsibilities of upholding their ethical code.
When it comes to journalism, there is really no concrete regulations. You do not need to pass a test nor do you need a license. In this day and age almost anyone could be called a journalist, whether you are reporting for local or national news or a student blogging for a college class. One would think, as important as journalism is, that there would be someone there to assess the facts of a story. Other professions have evaluations such as teachers or doctors. However, with journalism, it is up to the public to evaluate a journalist, and it is usually another journalist who uncovers the truth, such as in Stephen Glass’s case. …show more content…

According to the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics, “Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity.” ("SPJ Code of Ethics") The code provided by the Society of Professional Journalists also lists four main values that journalists should follow. The principles are to seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently, and be accountable and transparent ("SPJ Code of

Open Document