The seven pillars of journalistic wisdom

Ivor Gaber (University of Bedfordshire, UK)

As Web 2.0 tempts more and more people into becoming journalists (paid or unpaid) questions about what constitutes journalistic ethics come to the fore. This paper looks at seven precepts that have often been seen as the pillars of ethical journalism: objectivity, truth, balance, impartiality, accuracy, fairness and lack of bias. However, this paper will argue that the first three – objectivity truth and balance – do not constitute ethical journalism; they are chimera that flatter to deceive. Each in their own ways deceive journalists into deeply misleading forms of practice. The next three – impartiality, accuracy and fairness – provide the cornerstones of good journalistic practice and are to be encouraged. The final one – bias – has many forms, sometimes working for the pubic good and sometimes undermining it.

Timing - Friday 17th October - Plenary Panel
Download Full Paper - Ivor Gaber.doc

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