This session outlines central aspects of media ethics, as they appear in professional codes of ethics all over the world.

In this session, media ethics is connected to “media accountability”, which is a normative concept based on a belief that news media play an important role in a democratic society, and that the public are entitled to hold the newsrooms accountable for their performance and priorities. Three aspects of media ethics are underlined: the commitment to truth and accuracy, the obligation to minimize harm, and editorial independence and integrity. 

 LEARNING GOALS

The students
  • shall know about the existence of and the purpose of professional codes of media ethics.
  • shall know about the basic concepts of media ethics and media accountability, such as the commitment to truth and accuracy, the obligation to minimize harm, and the dedication to maintaining editorial independency and integrity.
  • will be better prepared to apply the new possibilities provided by digital and interactive media to hold the news media accountable for their work and performance.