美国职业新闻记者（SPJ）道德守则
职业记者协会的成员相信，公众启蒙是公正的前驱，是民主的基础。而我们记者的职责恰是，通过找寻事实，通过对事件和问题提供公正而全面的综述，去推进这个目的的实现。来自所有媒体和各个领域的有良知的记者，竭尽全力，服务于公众，提供全面而诚实的报道。职业上的正直，是记者公信力的基石。本协会成员，甘愿行动上为恪守道德而牺牲，并接受这个准则，昭显我们的协会精神和实践准则。
找寻事实，报道事实
在收集、报道、破译信息的过程中，记者应该诚实、公正、富于勇气。
记者应该——
调集一切资源，测试信息的准确度，始终注意避免因为疏忽而导致错误。故意歪曲事实是绝对不被允许的。
尽力找出新闻故事的主体，让他们能在不良行为受到攻击的时候，有机会做出反应。
识别新闻源，哪怕只要有一线希望。信息源是否可信，公众有权知道得越多越好。
允许匿名报道时，必须质疑消息源的提供动机。在交易这种信息时，必须明确附带专门的保证，并恪守这些保证。
在编辑标题、新闻讽刺和推广材料、照片、视频、音频、图表时，在截取和引用广播同期声时，要确认它们未被曲解。它们不应该脱离上下语言环境，过分简化或者着重强调某些事件。
永远不允许扭曲新闻图片或视频的内容。为达到技术指标上的清晰度，采用影象增强手段，完全可以理解。但对于蒙太奇剪辑或照片图解，必须标以说明。
在再制作或重现新闻事件时，必须避免误导。如果完整讲述故事，必须进行再制作，那么必须标明。
不得采用暗中或其他秘密手段采集信息，除非这些信息对公众至关重要，而用传统的公开手段无法取得。使用这种异常手段，必须在讲述故事时进行申明。
永远不允许抄袭。
讲述故事时，要勇于表现人类经历的多变性和重要性，即使这样做并不时尚。
要查明人们各自的文化价值观，避免把一些人的价值观强加在另外一些人的头上。
要避免因为种族、性别、年龄、宗教、人种、地域、性取向、残障、外表容貌、社会地位而铸成偏见。
要支持观点的公开交流，即使有些观点看起来很讨厌。
要让无声者发出声音，要让官方的和非官方的信息源一样得到重视。
对宣传，对新闻报道，必须做出区分。凡是分析和评论，都应该标明，不得蓄意曲解事实，断章取义。
要把新闻和广告活动分开，避免混淆两者界限，制作不伦不类的综合体。
必须确认一项特殊职责，那就是，保证公共事务以公开方式进行，政府记录能被公开检验。
危害最小化
对待信息源、主体、同事，有道德的记者，要像对待所有值得尊敬的人一样。
记者应该——
对那些因为新闻报道可能遭致不利影响的人，要显现出同情。在与小孩子和没有经验的信息源和受访主体打交道时，要特别敏感，避免伤害。
对于处在悲痛之中的悲剧角色，在谋求和使用对他们的采访或照片时，要有同情心。
要认识到，收集和报道信息，有可能引起伤害或不愉快。而求索新闻，并非可以傲慢自大的通行证。
也要认识到，比起公共官员和其他那些寻求权力、影响力、关注的人，私人更有权利控制住纯属于他们自己的信息。只有那些超乎寻常的公众需求，才能依法触犯人们的隐私。
表现出良好的品味，避免兜售谬误，去满足火烧火燎的好奇心。
在确认少年嫌疑或性犯罪的受害人时，必须小心翼翼。
在指控申请正式颁发之前，指认犯罪嫌疑，必须判断正确。
在犯罪嫌疑的公正受审权和公众的知情权之间，寻求平衡。
行动独立
除公众知情权之外，记者完全没有责任，去服从任何利益集团。
记者应该——
避免陷入利益集团的冲突，无论是现实的，还是预知的。
永远不参与任何有可能减损正直或损害公信力的团体和活动。
拒绝礼物、恩惠、酬金、免费旅行、特殊待遇，并且，只要有可能损害新闻公正，必须避免兼职、参与政治、公共办公室、社区组织服务。
揭露无可回避的冲突。
以责任感为力量，保持警惕和勇气，坚守这些信条。
拒绝为广告主和特殊利益者提供特惠待遇，抵制他们对新闻报道构成的压力。
如果消息源提供信息，是为了实惠或金钱，要小心对待，杜绝新闻招标。
保持责任心
记者应该对读者、听众、观众负责，在记者和记者之间，也应该如此。
记者应该——
澄清和解释新闻报道，邀请公众进行对话，探讨新闻工作。
鼓励公众抱怨新闻媒体，由此承认错误，并迅速修改。
对于记者和新闻媒体的不道德行为，应予暴光。
对于那些让其他人都要遵守的高标准，自己要同样遵守。
Preamble
Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards of practice.
Seek Truth and Report It
Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.
Journalists should:
Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.
Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources' reliability.
Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.
Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations.
Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events. If re-enactment is necessary to tell a story, label it.
Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story
Never plagiarize.
Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so.
Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others.
Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status.
Support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.
Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.
Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.
Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.
Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public's business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.
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Minimize Harm
Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect.
Journalists should:
Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects.
Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief.
Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance.
Recognize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention. Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyone’s privacy.
Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.
Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes.
Be judicious about naming criminal suspects before the formal filing of charges.
Balance a criminal suspect’s fair trial rights with the public’s right to be informed.
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Act Independently
Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public's right to know.
Journalists should:
Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.
Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.
Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.
Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable.
Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence news coverage.
Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; avoid bidding for news.
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Be Accountable
Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other.
Journalists should:
Clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic conduct.
Encourage the public to voice grievances against the news media. Admit mistakes and correct them promptly.
Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media.
Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others.
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The SPJ Code of Ethics is voluntarily embraced by thousands of writers, editors and other news professionals. The present version of the code was adopted by the 1996 SPJ National Convention, after months of study and debate among the Society's members.
Sigma Delta Chi's first Code of Ethics was borrowed from the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1926. In 1973, Sigma Delta Chi wrote its own code, which was revised in 1984, 1987 and 1996.
