Journalism Ethics Research Articles

The Phenomenon of Fake News (Hoax) in Mass Communication: Causes, Impacts, and Solutions

challenge faced in the digital era. The spread of fake news can have detrimental effects, such as disrupting public opinion, influencing democratic processes, creating social chaos, and damaging the reputation of individuals or organizations. The main causes for the emergence of fake news include technological factors, political motivation, economic gain, ignorance or lack of media literacy, and psychological factors such as the need for validation or sensation. Advances in technology and social media have accelerated the spread of fake news and complicated efforts to contain it. It is important to tackle the fake news phenomenon with a holistic approach. This involves the active role of individuals, news organizations, journalists, social media platforms, government agencies, and society as a whole. Increasing media literacy, accurate verification of facts, ethical journalism, cooperation with social media platforms, proper regulation, and prompt response to fake news are important steps in dealing with this phenomenon. The impact of fake news is very detrimental and can disrupt social stability, public trust, and information integrity. Therefore, collective efforts and awareness of the importance of fighting fake news are very important in building a healthy and trustworthy mass communication environment.

Fajar.co.id Political Reporting: A Study on Editorial Policy Related to the Makassar Mayoral Election

This research explore Fajar.co.id’s editorial policies and editorial management process in political reporting, particularly concerning the 2020 Makassar Mayoral Election. This research uses an inductive qualitative analysis. Inductive analysis is an approach that begins with field facts, analyzes them based on relevant theories and arguments, and ultimately yields a conclusion. The results show that Fajar.co.id’s editorial policy in reporting the 2020 Makassar Mayoral Election prioritizes newsworthiness by ensuring each published news piece is widely discussed, offers interesting perspectives, and uses language easily understood by a broad spectrum of society from various backgrounds. The applied editorial management demonstrates that content control occurs in the initial writing phase, with editors playing a crucial role in editing and gatekeeping functions. Although published news becomes public domain, the editorial team remains responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of content by correcting writing errors without altering the news substance. Therefore, it is recommended that Fajar.co.id’s editors and reporters continue honing their abilities in identifying and processing issues with high news value and social relevance while maintaining a balance between commercially appealing news and the importance of information for public interest. Fajar.co.id must keep its motto ‘wisdom on the unbiased line’. Furthermore, the importance of ongoing training in language skills enhancement to communicate news effectively to a diverse reader while ensuring that every presented news piece adheres to ethical journalism principles is emphasized. Additionally, the already robust control and gatekeeping system should continue to be strengthened to ensure any factual or linguistic errors can be promptly corrected without altering the essence of the news, to uphold and enhance Fajar.co.id’s credibility as a responsible and reliable news media.

Journalists on a Journey: Towards Responsible Media on Transgender Participation in Sport

ABSTRACT This paper draws upon interviews to reveal how a small minority of journalists are working towards more ethical approaches to representing transgender participation in sport. Writing in a context of a growing transphobic discourse in both the mainstream media and public sentiment, we examine the learning journeys of six sport journalists reporting on transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard’s participation in the Tokyo Olympic Games. The paper reveals variable reflexive considerations; ongoing efforts to educate themselves, colleagues and readers; varying levels of care in sourcing practices (i.e., members of the transgender community; scientists and anti-trans groups); and considerations about their responsibilities amidst rising transphobic discourse and online abuse. Engaging with recent writings on journalistic ethics and reflection-in-practice, this paper offers an example of the possibilities for more reflexive and responsible reporting on issues of social and political importance.

Post-Publication Gatekeeping Factors and Practices: Data, Platforms, and Regulations in News Work

The gatekeeping literature has turned to look at the factors and practices that shape gatekeeping in the post-publication environment, i.e., after news has entered circulation. This article adds to the discussion and argues that news workers share gatekeeping power in the post-publication environment with audiences, platforms, and regulations. Further, this study extends the post-publication gatekeeping framework and considers it in the context of datafication. The article aims to broadly understand how (audience) data is part of editorial decision-making in news media from news workers’ perceptions. The current study was conducted by interviewing news workers from three Finnish news organisations. The interview data was analysed utilising qualitative iterative content analysis. Our analysis revealed that the use of (audience) data in news organisations increasingly shapes news workers’ journalistic decision-making processes. We found that news workers were ambivalent toward data (use) and that their reliance on platform data depended on the particular platform. Furthermore, when interviewed about journalism ethics, news workers only connected it with legislative issues, such as General Data Protection Regulation. Lastly, we could see that regulatory factors of data, i.e., legislation and media self-regulation, have power over news production and distribution. This study reflects how journalism (research) is shifting from an audience-centric view to a data-driven one, i.e., it is experiencing a <em>data turn</em>.

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS OF THE RELIGIOUS JOURNALIST

As we all know, the role of journalists in providing information to people is incomparable. Journalists work in accordance with their professional ethics. The professional ethics of journalists includes the practice of values such as responsibility for the profession, timely performance, honesty, stability, character, justice, intelligence. These are the same feelings for religious journalists. Paying deeper attention to the same issue, that is, analyzing the professional ethics of religious journalists, is the main goal of this article. According to the results of the research, religious journalists' regular observance of their professional ethics plays an important role in ensuring the peace of this country and the harmony of nations.

The Language of Crisis: Print Media’s Re[presentation] of the Covid-19 Discourses through Linguistic Choices

The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked intense discourse and public debate, underscoring the critical role of print media in disseminating information and shaping public understanding. This paper explores the representation of Covid-19 discourses by print media, with a particular focus on linguistic choices. Employing a qualitative research approach, this study investigates how print media, including reputable sources such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian, employed specific linguistic strategies to represent the discourses surrounding the Covid-19 crisis. Through analysis of news items, newspaper articles, and editorials, the research aims to uncover the underlying linguistic patterns used to frame and portray the pandemic. The study aims to uncover the underlying patterns and variations in the language employed by media outlets to frame and portray the pandemic. The findings suggest that print media employed various linguistic strategies to represent the discourses surrounding Covid-19. Lexical selection plays a significant role, with certain words and phrases being strategically employed to convey specific meanings and evoke emotional responses. The New York Times, for example, tends to use precise and factual language, while The Guardian may employ more emotive and inclusive language. Additionally, the use of metaphors and analogies enables print media to frame the crisis in relatable terms, shaping public understanding and interpretation. Furthermore, the tone and rhetoric employed by print media contribute to the construction of different discourses surrounding the pandemic. For instance, some newspapers may emphasize the economic impact of the crisis, while others focus on the healthcare and social implications. These discourses influence public perception, policy decisions, and societal responses. Understanding the language of crisis employed by print media in representing the discourses surrounding Covid-19 is essential for comprehending the societal impact and dynamics of the pandemic. This research contributes to media literacy and critical analysis by highlighting the role of linguistic choices in shaping public discourse. It underscores the need for responsible and ethical journalism that presents a nuanced and balanced representation of the Covid-19 crisis. Keywords: Language of crisis, print media, representation, Covid-19 discourses, lexical selection, metaphors, framing, tone, rhetoric DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/13-10-07 Publication date: May 31 st 2023

Journalism Ethics for the Algorithmic Era

In an era characterized by the widespread use of algorithmic systems and platforms in news production and distribution practices, the ethical practices of journalists face significant challenges. Drawing on Floridi’s onlife framework, this study aims to shed light on journalist-machine interactions and explores new ways to rearchitect journalism ethical standards through an integrative, object-oriented approach. In-depth interviews with local news workers throughout the U.S. reveal a range of issues related to decontextualization in algorithmic platform design, the hidden price of platform partnerships, and the growing reliance on automated tools that foreshadow ethical issues to come. These algorithmically-induced challenges appear to be particularly pronounced in local newsrooms, highlighting the disproportionate impact of algorithmic systems on under-served media sectors. Discussions are made around the constant push-and-pull over editorial power dynamics apparent in local news workers’ use of algorithmic systems. A distributed responsibility model is proposed as a practical way to hold multiple actors, including both humans and algorithms, accountable for journalism’s ethical standards in the algorithmic era.

Covering Terror at the 1972 Summer Olympics: ABC Sports and the Evolution of Live Broadcast News

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.Additional informationNotes on contributorsRaymond McCaffreyRaymond McCaffrey is an associate professor and the director of the Center for Ethics in Journalism at the University of Arkansas. McCaffrey earned his Ph.D. in journalism studies from the University of Maryland after working for more than twenty-five years as a journalist, including eight years as a staff writer and editor at the Washington Post.

Social Media, the changing Newsroom and Electoral Politics in Zimbabwe

The rise of social media in Zimbabwe has instigated changes in journalism practice, politics and political communication. This paper examines the nexus between social media, journalism practice and politics in Zimbabwe, focusing on the 2018 general elections. The study is informed by the realisation that past studies on how social media interacts with society have tended to focus on a single dimension. Such single dimensions have included social media and newsroom changes, social media and journalism ethics, together with social media and political communication (Mabweazara 2014). No study, however, has attempted to show the connections between all these dimensions, which is a gap that is observable in social media studies. Using interviews with mainstream journalists in Zimbabwe and content analysis of political social media posts, the study shows that newsroom changes are tied to changes in political communication. The results also show that newsroom changes in Zimbabwe cannot be disconnected from political dynamics because journalism practice itself, even before the rise of social media, is shaped and structured by political dynamics so much that contrary to Marxian theorisation, in Zimbabwe, it is the political-consciousness base that determines the economic and other facets of the superstructure.

Media Discourse, Legal, and Ethical Issues Arising from the Zuma Saga and Nkandlagate

Allegations of corruption and rape against President Jacob Zuma constituted among the most covered stories in South Africa and beyond. Widely dubbed “the Zuma saga” by the media, the twin stories began with allegations of corruption in the arms deal. While the corruption case still gripped the public, another damning allegation (rape) surfaced and fermented the story to levels surpassed by no other story at the time. Zuma was subsequently acquitted of the rape charge, but the charge of corruption continued relentlessly until the eve of the 2009 elections, in which he was elected as president. But just as the South African public thought the dust was settling, Zuma was hit by another damning allegation of inappropriately spending R250 million on upgrading Nkandla, his private residence. This article is three-pronged. First, it examines the key issues that accounted for the media frenzy sparked by both the Nkandla debacle and the Zuma saga. Second, it unravels critical ethical questions and legal issues implicit in the aforementioned cases. Third, because Zuma’s acquittal raised questions regarding the independence of the judiciary, the article also assesses the condition of judicial independence in South Africa. Theoretically, the article is informed by the sociology of journalism ethics and the notions of ethical leadership and judicial independence.

Looking through Lost Illusions at Austrian European identity and communication theory of identity

The study explores Austrian European identity through a communication theory of identity (CTI) by using the film Lost Illusions as a stimulus (2021). Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted in the Austrian capital Vienna to elicit female viewers’ perceptions of European identity to contribute to the development of the communal frame of CTI. The topicality of the film triggered some themes around a shared European past, norms, values, materialism and journalism ethics. Within this collective European identity based on ‘unity in diversity’, viewers’ ingroup closer to the left wing was constructed, influenced, validated and their national outgroup as an imaginary right wing was denied in the group membership.

The presentation of South African politicians in The Times newspaper column “On the Contrary”: 2012-2017

This paper examined South African politicians' (re)presentation in Tony Leon’s regular column, On the contrary, which appeared in The Times newspaper from 2012 to 2017. This period in South African politics is made interesting by the fact that it coincides with the time when there was mounting pressure for the then president, Jacob Zuma, of the ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), to step down, especially between 7 January 2015 and 21 March 2017. Tony Leon, who also once served as a councilor for the Democratic Party (DA), one of the major opposition parties in South Africa is the columnist who at the time authors the on the contrary column. This creates interesting research on how the columnist and the newspaper are able or not to maintain ethical journalism. In conducting the study, this article employs the framing theory and critical discourse analysis (CDA) as research tools to assess the columnists’ objectivity and bias in his depiction of the then president and several prominent politicians during the examined period. Data analysis constitutes six newspaper articles which were purposively selected to obtain a representative sample. The results indicated that these articles were well-researched in respect of the information they presented. At the same time, biased tendencies were noted in favor of the political party aligned to the columnist.

Ethics as the backbone of the professional identity of Belgian journalism interns

ABSTRACT This study analyzes the perceptions of professional ethics expressed by Belgian – both Francophone and Flemish – journalism students after their first internships. 13 focus groups including 59 students from 7 universities were organized. These young journalists detailed how ethics play a central role in the development of their professional identity, during their first professional experience. Results show that both Flemish and French-speaking journalists share a relative homogenous vision of journalistic ethics. Eventually, this article offers the foundations for further research dedicated to the professional identity of young professional Belgian journalists, beyond any stereotypes or allegedly linguistic characteristics.

On citizens' right to information: Justification and analysis of the democratic right to be well informed

On citizens' right to information: Justification and analysis of the democratic right to be well informed

Wave after wave: unboxing 40 years of auditing ethics research

Purpose To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that aims to present a comprehensive view of the auditing ethics literature by unboxing 40 years of efforts in the field. Design/methodology/approach This study combined bibliometric, social network and content analysis by analyzing 114 articles published in accounting and top business ethics journals on the Web of Science database from 1980 to 2021. Findings The results show a rising interest in this topic and reveal auditors’ ethical decision-making and moral reasoning as the most discussed topics in the literature. The work also clusters the literature according to keywords and scopes, identifying literature gaps and suggesting new avenues for future research. Practical implications The research results assist provide an overarching image of the auditing ethics field. In addition, these results draw possible future avenues to bridge the void in the current auditing ethics literature by presenting indispensable directions for potential research. For example, future research could pay more attention to whistleblowing, fraud, personal auditor characteristics, auditor ethical sensitivity, auditor ethical conflict, ethical climate and underreporting of time. Moreover, the rapidly changing business environment necessitates the auditing ethics research to move to more practical implications to mitigate previous mistakes and avoid any future risks. Originality/value All crises are an ideal breeding ground to motivate fraud and audit failures. In fact, auditing ethics research has been subordinated to the different economic crises. However, despite increasing awareness of the topic’s relevance, no comprehensive study focuses on auditing ethics literature. Now, the devastating effects of the COVID-19 crisis are producing a new wave of financial distresses and avoiding former mistakes is timelier than ever. With this novel and integrated approach, this work goes one step forward, developing a comprehensive picture of the auditing ethics literature.

Modalitas dan Etika Berita Video 360 Pada YouTube CNN Indonesia

The implementation of immersive journalism as part of digital journalism is now starting to penetrate YouTube. CNN Indonesia is a media company that uses 360 degree video technology to present news. The use of virtual reality technology raises ethical questions that require consideration by news producers to maintain journalistic standards. This study aims to understand the modality and ethics of immersive journalism implemented in CNN Indonesia's 360 degree video content on YouTube through quantitative content analysis. The concept of modality, ethics of immersive journalism, and the theory of media richness are used as analytical tools to understand modality and immersion presented in CNN Indonesia's 360 video. The results of the study show that CNN Indonesia's 360-degree video content follows the ethics of sensitive content, on the other hand, the modalities used are still limited.

Ethical Need for a Fertility Decision-Aid for Transgender Adults of Reproductive Age

Ethical Need for a Fertility Decision-Aid for Transgender Adults of Reproductive Age

Student Activism vs. Student Journalism: Racial Justice, Free Speech, and Journalism Ethics in College Newspapers

ABSTRACT Using two recent controversies involving campus social justice protests and student news organizations, this study uses an interdisciplinary lens to examine free expression and normative journalism ethics discourse. It explores themes related to First Amendment rights and values, journalism ethics, and racial justice, asking which are evident and absent in opinion journalism focused on the cases. It examines universities’ dual missions of supporting free expression and advancing the goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Ethical journalism vs digital journalism

En el periodismo la ética también es fundamental para que el ciudadano reciba una información de calidad para poder vivir en una democracia libre. Las funciones del periodismo son diversas, informar, investigar, analizar, crear vínculos sociales, además de la gran labor social que representa: descubrir o denunciar aquello oculto o la información que necesitan los ciudadanos para escoger a un gobierno adecuado. En base a ello, el presente estudio explora a través de una revisión bibliográfica elconcepto de periodismo digital, al mismo tiempo que abordar distintos aspectos delestado actual de la profesión periodística.

African Archaeological Journals and Social Issues 2014–2021

The two waves of reflexivity in archaeology are the identity politics of archaeologists and stakeholder politics. These social issues are considered in this article through the perspective of three African archaeological journals produced from 2014 to 2021. Identity politics is examined through a quantitative analysis of authorship, book reviewing, and the countries covered. I conclude that parity of gender authorship—assuming 61% male and 39% female archaeologists—has been achieved by the African Archaeological Review, Journal of African Archaeology, and Azania. In book reviewing, this is less so. The geographical coverage across the three journals shows lacunae. Stakeholder politics is most visible in book reviews and special issues. Journal ethics and goals and the final topics of open access and other ways of broadening the pool of authors, reviewers, and accessibility are offered.