Freedom of speech is a right all citizens of the United States have. The freedom to express our opinions and views is invaluable. We can share and learn, creating opinions that make us different and individual. The problem is that we can't always trust what we read or sometimes what we see. It is hard to trust a person that you don't know, in essence a stranger, with the responsibility of informing but a code of ethics can help.
My Code,
1. Report the truth to the best of your knowledge.
2. Clearly distinguish between fact and opinion.
3. Always cite sources and give credit where credit is due.
4. Inform without exaggerating or embellishing on the truth.
5. Do not stereotype or pass judgement in writing.
I believe this to be the best code in the fewest words possible. In journalism it is important to tell the truth as simply and straight forward as possible, to report on events and people that are newsworthy, and to refrain from pushing personal opinions onto readers.
