Ink: PressBase: Resource Book:
Your Responsibilities

Journalists have an immense amount of responsibility. They always have to print the balanced truth in an ethical, objective way. Ask yourself while researching, writing, and interviewing whether you've fulfilled your responsibilities:

Were you objective?

Were you fair?

Is your story accurate? Did you check your facts?

Did you accurately attribute all information and statements?

Were you clear?

Is your story complete, with nothing left out?

If you can honestly answer 'yes' to every single one of those questions, you are doing fine. Keep up the good work! If you answer no to some or all, it's time to rethink your strategy. Irresponsible journalism practices may be easier right now, but in the long run they will hurt your career.

What do you think?
What is your opinion on journalists' responsibilities? What would you like to see added to this list? Visit our contribution page to add an article or opinion, or just to stand on a soapbox and make yourself heard.