Preface
The right to information, together with freedom of expression and criticism, is one of the fundamental liberties of every human being.The rights and duties of journalists de- volve from the public's right to have access to fact and opinion.
Journalists' responsibility to the public must come before any they bear towards a third party, notably employers and public authorities.
Journalists should, of their own accord, adopt the rules necessary to accomplish their mission to inform. Such is the object of the «Declaration of Duties» below.
In order to carry out their journalistic du- ties in an independent manner, and in ac- cordance with required quality standards, journalists must be able to count on general conditions adequate to the exercise of their profession. Such is the object of the «Declaration of Rights» that follows.
Journalists see their duty in following the basic principles of this declaration. While recognising the laws of their country, journalists only accept the judgment of their professional colleagues, the Press Council or legitimate organizations of professional ethics. They reject any interference by the state or other official bodies. Fair reporting requires at least a short, published summary of a Press Council decision in relation to one's own media.
Declaration of Duties of a Journalist
The journalist who gathers, selects, edits, interprets and comments on information is ruled by general principles of fairness in his or her honest treatment of sources (the people with whom he or she is talking) and the public.
Ethical principle:
Fairness in gathering information
This principle was also found in:
- To seek out the truth, in the interests of the public's right to know, whatever the consequences to him- or herself.
Ethical principle:
Freedom of information
This principle was also found in:
- To defend freedom of information, freedom of commentary and criticism, and the independence and dignity of the journalistic profession.
Ethical principle:
Journalism in society
This principle was also found in:
- Not to publish information, documents, images or sound recordings of which the origin is unknown to the journalist.Not to suppress information or any essential elements of a story.
Ethical principle:
Rumours and unconfirmed or unverified reports
This principle was also found in:
Not to misrepresent any text, document, image or sound recording, nor people's expressed opinions.Ethical principle:
Completeness (full information)
This principle was also found in:
If information is unconfirmed to clearly say so.Ethical principle:
Distortion of facts or forgery
This principle was also found in:
To indicate when photographic and/or sound material has been combined to make a montage.Ethical principle:
Rumours and unconfirmed or unverified reports
This principle was also found in:
Ethical principle:
Manipulation of audio material
This principle was also found in:
- Not to use dishonest methods to obtain information, recordings, images or documents.Not to manipulate them, or have them manipulated by a third party with a view to falsification.
Ethical principle:
Fairness towards interviewees
This principle was also found in:
To prohibit plagiarism in not passing off the work or ideas of others as one's own.Ethical principle:
Distortion of facts or forgery
This principle was also found in:
- To rectify any published information that is revealed to be factually incorrect.
Ethical principle:
Correction of errors by media
This principle was also found in:
- To respect professional secrecy and not reveal the source of any information obtained in confidence.
Ethical principle:
Confidentiality
This principle was also found in:
- To respect peoples' privacy in so far as the public interest does not demand otherwise.To disregard anonymous or unfounded accusations.
Ethical principle:
Privacy (and the public interest)
This principle was also found in:
Ethical principle:
Unfounded accusations or suspicions
This principle was also found in:
- In respecting human dignity, the journalist must avoid any allusion by text, image or sound to a person's ethnic or national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation as well as to any illness or physical or mental handicap that could be discriminatory in character. The reporting of war, acts of terrorism, accidents and catastrophes by means of text, image and sound should respect the victims' suffering and the feelings of their loved ones.
- Not to accept any advantage nor any promise that could limit his or her profes- sional independence or expression of opinion.
- To avoid as journalists any form of commercial advertising;and never to accept conditions laid down by advertisers directly or indirectly.
Ethical principle:
Creating promotional publications or work as PR person
This principle was also found in:
Ethical principle:
Independence from commercial interests
This principle was also found in:
- To take journalistic directives only from designated editorial superiors; and to respect those directives only when they are not contrary to this declaration.
Ethical principle:
Refuse assignments that violate laws and ethics
This principle was also found in:
Declaration of Rights of a Journalist
Full respect by journalists of the duties articulated above requires that they enjoy, at the minimum, the following rights:
- Free access to all sources of information and the right to investigate without impediment anything that is in the public interest. Public or private confidentiality can only be invoked against the journalist in exceptional circumstances and with the provision of clearly-defined reasons.
- The right not to act in any way nor express any opinion that is contrary to professional rules or personal conscience. As a result, journalists should not suffer any prejudice.
Ethical principle:
Not acting against one’s convictions
This principle was also found in:
- The right to refuse any directive or interference that is contrary to the general policy of the organisation with which he or she is collaborating. This policy must be communicated in writing before the journalist's employment. It cannot be modified or revoked unilaterally under pain of breach of contract.
Ethical principle:
Refuse assignments that violate laws and ethics
This principle was also found in:
- The right to transparency as to the ownership of the company for which the journalist works. The right of a member of an editorial team to be informed in time, and to be heard before, any decision that affects the future of the company. In particular, members of the editorial staff must be informed and heard before final decisions determining the com- position or organisation of the editorial department.
Ethical principle:
Transparency regarding media ownership
This principle was also found in:
- The right to adequate and continuous professional training.
Ethical principle:
Professional training
This principle was also found in:
- The right to benefit from work conditions guaranteed by a collective agreement, including the right to be active in professional organisations without suffering discrimination.
Ethical principle:
Labour rights of journalism
This principle was also found in:
- The right to benefit from an individual employment contract guaranteeing material and moral security. In particular, an appropriate remuneration corresponding to the journalist's function, responsibilities and social role should ensure his or her economic independence.
Decided at a session of the Swiss Press Council Foundation on December 21, 1999 and revised at a session of the Swiss Press Council Foundation on June 5, 2008.