Journalism Ethics and Regulation

2nd Edition
Chris Frost
Mar 2007, Paperback, 352 pages
ISBN13: 9781405835367
ISBN10: 1405835362

Description

Journalism Ethics and Regulation looks closely at the ethical considerations, moral dilemmas and challenges the practicing journalist faces every day. It provides journalism students and trainee journalists with the tools to make informed ethical decisions in their working lives.

In addition, Journalism Ethics and Regulation guides students through the maze of regulatory frameworks and codes of practice which they often find tough to negotiate.

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Contents

1. Introduction

2. What Are Ethics?

3. News: Towards a Definition

4. Morality of Reporting

5. The Good Journalist

6. Truth, Accuracy, Objectivity and Trust

7. Privacy and Intrusion

8. Gathering the News

9. Reporting the Vulnerable

10. Deciding What To Publish

11. Taste and Decency; Harm and Offence

12. Professional Practice

13. Regulation

14. History of Print Regulation

15. History of Broadcast Regulation

16. Codes of Conduct as a Regulatory System

17. Regulation Systems in the UK

18. The Experience Abroad

19. The Future

20. Appendices

21. Glossary and Bibliography

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Features

* Comprehensive coverage of core ethical issues such as the ethics of news gathering, intrusion and privacy, and the difficulties of achieving truth, accuracy and objectivity under pressure
* Looks at what underpins ethics both in terms of everyday, minute-to-minute decisions and from where - historically and philosophically - codes and practices have emerged
* Extensively illustrated with topical examples and synthesises the major recent research into the area
* Considers the differences in regulation (both self and statutory) and practice between print and broadcast journalism and how these distinctions are blurring and changing
* Provides detailed coverage of the main codes of practice and regulatory bodies - PCC, Office of Communications, BBC, NUJ – in the UK and beyond

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Reviews

"Given the endless controversies around privacy, ethics and media regulation this book is a timely, comprehensive and indispensable handbook for journalists and a rallying cry for all those who believe ethical journalism is not just possible but an essential part of a free media in a democratic society.

Using real life examples Chris Frost's book is both a practical tool which deserves a place on every journalist's desk and an unbeatable guide to the origins, failures and successes of media regulation in the UKand beyond.

Chris Frost stands robustly in favour of a more ethical journalism - his book is a very welcome contribution to the debate about the role of journalists and regulation in achieving that".

- Jeremy Dear, General Secretary of the National Unionof Journalists (NUJ)