‘Uphold accuracy, fairness and ethics in the news’

The emergence of online media has deepened the need for journalists to uphold high ethical standards in the profession, a veteran Canadian journalist said yesterday.
Kim Kierans, a journalism professor and media practitioner with  almost 40 years in n print, radio and television, talked about the relevance of ethics in a changing media landscape.

She spoke in a forum for mass communication students in Cebu City sponsored by the Embassy of Canada.

Mainstream journalists, she said, have to give more importance to ethics in order to  make  “sense of the world” for the public, who still relies n traditional media for credible content.

She said ethics or “truth telling” should be strictly followed by journalists regardless of the news platform.

Kierans cited a survey in Canada that showed a diminished sense of credibility  of the media as perceived by the public.

She said this means journalists still have to practice “accuracy, impartiality and verification” in gathering and presenting  the news, whether its digital or traditional media for the public to make informed decisions.

“We have to seek the truth and report it, regardless of what platform. We always have  to ask ourselves, what is right, what is just and what is for the public good?” Kierans told students from several schools at the University of San Jose – Recoletos Center for Performing Arts auditorium.

What sets apart journalists from bloggers and new media, she said, is the “scientific method of verification.”

“In our rush to post stories to the web, we are not giving it enough time to make sure our facts are accurate. No format excuses inaccuracy,”  Kierans said.