no|no

Home > Ethics

Ethics

SPJ's Professional Standards and Ethics Committee's purpose is to encourage the use of the Society's Code of Ethics, which promotes the highest professional standards for journalists of all disciplines. Public concerns are often answered by this committee. It also acts as a spotter for reporting trends in the nation, accumulating case studies of jobs well done under trying circumstances.

Visit SPJ's Ethics Central website for current news and events surrounding journalism ethics

Free Resource

SPJ Toolbox: Ethics

More ethics coverage at SPJ Toolbox:
– Fact Checking
– Check Domain Names
– Fact-Checking COVID-19

>> Visit The SPJ Toolbox

Ethics Committee Position Papers

This collection of position papers is intended to clarify SPJ’s position on specific ethical themes that frequently arise in journalism, and also to provide better guidance for journalists, academics, students and the public when consulting SPJ's Code of Ethics.

This collection of position papers, produced by the Society of Professional Journalists’ Ethics Committee, is intended to clarify SPJ’s position on specific ethical themes that frequently arise in journalism, and also to provide better guidance for journalists, academics, students and the public when consulting the SPJ Code of Ethics.

The following papers are available for immediate reference, with more — on using anonymous sources, undercover reporting, dealing with victims of tragedy, handling diversity coverage, privacy and news media accountability — to release over the coming months:

Newly Added:
Reporting on Grief, Tragedy and Victims
Anonymous Sources
Accountability

Also Available:
Using the SPJ Code
Plagiarism
Checkbook Journalism
Political Involvement

 

Explore SPJ