The Latest
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Letters to the editor and online comments
Ethical guidelines Student media should accept letters to the editor or online comments from outside the staff to solidify their status as a designated public forum where students make all final decisions of content. This allows their audience to use their voices as well. Staff manual process Print/online • A student editor must know…
Linking to sources
Ethical guidelines To increase a publications’ transparency, students should clearly show links to sources u sed in reporting in a consistent process. Providing links to sources creates a sense of credibility and thoroughness in the reporting process. Links do not signify endorsement but an attempt to cite as accurately as possible and in context. Staff…
SPLC model guidelines for board policy
and JEA model for media-level policy
Easy access to policy models Board-level policy models: To examine the Student Press Law Center’s model policy, go here. Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 Media Level policy models: To examine the Journalism Association’s model policy, go here.
Providing context
Ethical guidelines Journalists should present relevant information in context so the audience has adequate information on which to base decisions. Context is just as important as factual accuracy and can help readers fully understand an issue and its relevance to their daily lives. Staff manual process Staff members should not only fact-check their information but…
Advertising
Ethical guidelines Students should not discriminate against advertising based on their personal beliefs. For example, students should attempt to include advertisers from multiple perspectives. According to the federal court decision in Yeo v. Lexington, student editors have the right to reject advertisements and school administrators are not legally responsible for advertising decisions students make. Staff…
Writing process
Ethical guidelines Journalists should not be so rushed in their writing, even during a 24-hour news cycle, they fail to engage fully in the writing process of drafting, editing and revising. Journalists should approach their writing from the position of “sense-maker.” That is, they are trying to help readers make sense of an issue for…
Use of profanity
Ethical guidelines Profanity in student media should only be used after careful consideration. While profanity is not illegal, journalists should ask whether the use of profanity is absolutely essential to the content and context of the story. Will readers understand the story if the profanity is not used? Some people will not read or listen…
Obituaries
Ethical guidelines Journalists should report a student or staff death in an objective, consistent manner that has been decided when the staff manual is being revised. Choosing what to publish at the time of any tragedy is not wise and can cause staffs to make choices that create problems in the future. Staff manual process…
Sponsored content/native advertising
Ethical guidelines In the last several years, commercial media have faced a new kind of paid content — “native advertising” or “sponsored content.” The goal with this content is to provide advertising in a way that mimics the look and style of news/editorial content instead of appearing as traditional advertising. This style of advertising has…
Visual reporting
Ethical guidelines Journalists are charged with documenting what’s happening in the world around them by capturing and presenting images. The way journalists obtain access to capturing these photos and video footage is just as important as the images themselves. Deciding which visual elements to use in telling a story — as well as which to…
Guidelines for breaking news
Ethical guidelines Journalists may need to act quickly and in less than ideal conditions to cover a breaking news story for their publications. In these times especially, it is important for students to report based on a variety of credible sources with a focus on accuracy rather than rush to release information. Staff manual process…
Covering controversy
Ethical guidelines Controversy is often in the eye of the beholder. The best way to prevent a subject from becoming controversial is to use verifiable information, in context, from reliable sources – truthful, accurate, thorough and complete reporting. Students should be able to show why they used some information and not other. They should be…