Rules of Journalism

OBJECTIVE: Students will analyze the rules of journalism by relating the rules to their stories about Castro.

As we report our stories, there are nine rules we must abide by.

Please open a WORD document.

1. Journalism's first obligation is to the truth.

• What does this mean to you?
• How will you find the truth when you work on your story?
• If you can't find the truth, how can you still write your story?

2. Its first loyalty is to citizens.

• What does this mean to you?
• How can you be loyal to students, teachers and staff as you tell your story?
• If you can't be loyal, how can you still write your story?

3. Its essence is a discipline of verification.

• What does this mean to you?
• How will you verify facts in your story?
• If you can't find out if everything is true, do you still tell your story?
  

4. Journalists must maintain an independence from their stories.

• What does this mean to you?
• How will you remain independent in your story? (Do you take sides?)
• If you can't find every side to the story, how can you still tell your story?

5. It must serve as an independent monitor of power.

• What does this mean to you?

6. It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise.

• What does this mean to you?
• Will people criticize your story?
• How will you deal with people who criticize your story in a respectful way?

7. It must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant.

• What does this mean to you?
• How will you make your story interesting and relevant?
• If your story is not interesting and relevant, do you still tell it?
  

8. It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional.

• What does this mean to you?
• How can you be short and to the point, but also tell everything you need to tell?
• What if your story is too long? Too short?
  

9. Its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience.

• What does this mean to you?
• If there is a story, but you know you should not contribute to gossip and rumors, do you still tell the story?