Ethics in Journalism

The recent murder of Mukesh Chandrakar, an independent journalist in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, has brought attention to the challenges and risks faced by district-level journalists in India. 

Background of the case

• Mukesh Chandrakar was a freelance journalist from the state of Chhattisgarh. 
• In 2021, Mukesh was among a group of seven journalists who helped security forces negotiate with Maoists to release a CoBRA gendarme captured in Tekalguda.
• He was allegedly murdered for exposing corruption in a road development project.

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Challenges Faced by Journalists in India

• Violence and Murder: Physical assaults, beatings, and killings are common, especially
  • The murder of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar in Chhattisgarh highlights risks tied to investigative reporting.
• Legal and Administrative Pressure: Lawsuits, criminal defamation cases, and misuse of sedition laws (e.g., UAPA) intimidate journalists.
  • The Supreme Court of India has noted a rise in SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) cases, with journalists increasingly targeted to stifle critical reporting.
• Economic Threats: District-level journalists often work without contracts, earning as little as Rs. 200-500 per story.
• Digital and Technological Threats: Cyber harassment, doxxing, and surveillance of communication are increasing, especially for journalists critical of powerful entities.
  • Amnesty International’s “Troll Patrol” project in India (2024) revealed that most of the female journalists in India faced online abuse, often targeted for their work.
• Regional Variations: 
  • Conflict zones (e.g., Kashmir) face pressure from multiple groups.
  • Resource-rich states like Chhattisgarh see threats linked to mining and land issues.
  • Border areas struggle with restricted access and national security concerns.

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Journalistic Ethics

• Journalistic ethics refer to the principles, standards, and guidelines followed by journalists in the process of gathering, reporting, and presenting news. 
• These ethics ensure the credibility of the media and help build trust between journalists and their audiences.

Key components of journalistic ethics

• Truth and Accuracy: Journalists must report the truth, providing accurate, verified, and well-researched information.
  • In 2024, the Hindustan Times corrected a report on the Delhi air pollution levels after verifying the data from multiple sources.
• Independence and Impartiality: Journalists should remain independent and impartial, avoiding conflicts of interest and presenting balanced views.
• Fairness and Balance: Journalists must present multiple perspectives and allow all sides of a story to be heard.
  • During the farmers’ protests many news outlets gave coverage to both the government and protesting farmers, presenting a balanced view of the events.
• Minimizing Harm: Journalists must act with sensitivity and avoid causing harm to individuals or communities, particularly when covering vulnerable groups.
• Confidentiality of Sources: Journalists must protect the identity of confidential sources and maintain confidentiality when required.
• Objectivity and Neutrality: Journalists should strive to remain neutral and not allow personal opinions to affect their reporting.

Gandhian Ethics in Journalism

• Mahatma Gandhi, a staunch advocate of truth and nonviolence, viewed journalism as a powerful tool for social reform, nation-building.
• He outlined that the basic purpose of newspapers was public service. 
• Gandhi said that “the true function of journalism is to educate the public mind, not to stock it with wanted and unwanted impressions”.
• Gandhian ethics can guide journalism toward truth, responsibility, and social good by:
  • Truth (Satya): Report facts accurately, avoid fake news, and be transparent about sources.
  • Non-Violence (Ahimsa): Avoid harmful or inflammatory reporting. Respect dignity and promote peace.
  • Integrity: Stay ethical, resist pressure from advertisers or politicians, and correct mistakes.
  • Local Focus (Swadeshi): Prioritize local stories and respect cultural values.
  • Fearlessness: Speak truth to power, challenge injustice, and resist censorship.

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The Need for Ethics in Journalism

• Maintaining Public Trust: Ethical journalism builds and preserves public trust by ensuring accuracy, fairness, and impartiality. 
• Ensuring Accountability and Transparency: Ethical journalism requires transparency in sourcing and reporting, helping the public understand the basis of news and hold institutions accountable.
• Protecting the Right to Information: Journalism must provide truthful, unbiased information, crucial for an informed public and functioning democracy.
• Preventing Misinformation and Disinformation: Ethical journalism combats the spread of false information by verifying facts and reporting responsibly, reducing misinformation’s impact.
• Supporting Social Responsibility: Ethical journalism prioritizes the public good, reporting on issues that matter and fostering positive societal change.
• Promoting a healthy Democratic: By providing accurate information, ethical journalism enables citizens to make informed decisions, which is essential for a healthy democracy.

Ethical Dilemmas in Journalism

• Ethical dilemmas in journalism arise when journalists face situations where they must choose between conflicting values, principles, or interests. 
• These dilemmas often test their commitment to integrity, truthfulness, and public interest.

Here are key ethical dilemmas in journalism

• Truth vs. Personal Safety: Journalists often face threats to their lives when exposing corruption, crime, or abuse of power. 
  • According to Reporters Without Borders, 54 journalists were killed worldwide in 2024, with a significant number targeted for their investigative work.
• Public Interest vs. Confidentiality: Journalists often obtain information from confidential sources. Revealing such sources might breach trust but may be necessary to serve the public interest.
• Editorial Independence vs. Commercial Pressures: Media organizations rely heavily on advertising revenue, often from powerful corporations or governments. 
  • A survey by the Pew Research Center found that 60% of journalists believe that increased advertising pressure is negatively impacting news coverage.
• Sensationalism vs. Responsible Reporting: In the age of digital media, journalists may be tempted to prioritize sensational news for higher engagement, often at the cost of accuracy and social harmony.
  • Delhi Riots (2020): Sensational and polarizing media coverage during the riots worsened communal tensions, with several channels accused of biased reporting.
• Right to Privacy vs. Public’s Right to Know: Journalists must balance the right to privacy of individuals with the public’s right to know about matters of public interest.
  • Aarushi Talwar Murder Case (2008): Media heavily intruded into the private lives of the Talwar family, speculating on personal details and sensationalizing the tragedy, raising questions about ethical boundaries.
• Reporting on Vulnerable Groups: Stories involving vulnerable groups (children, refugees, or victims of violence) demand sensitivity but may attract more attention if portrayed sensationally.
  • Manual Scavengers’ Stories: Coverage often focuses on dehumanizing visuals of workers rather than humanizing their struggles and systemic issues, perpetuating stigma.

Resolving Ethical Dilemmas

• Professional Codes of Ethics: Such as truthfulness, impartiality, accuracy, and accountability.
• Moral Reasoning: Balancing conflicting values based on ethical principles such as justice, integrity, and social responsibility.
• Legal Frameworks: Complying with media laws and guidelines to ensure accountability.
• Transparency: Disclosing conflicts of interest and maintaining openness with the audience.

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Way Forward

• Strengthening Media Education and Training: Journalism schools must focus on teaching core values like truth, fairness, and responsibility. 
  • Regular training workshops for working journalists can also help in improving their understanding of ethical dilemmas and how to handle them.
• Promoting Accountability and Transparency: Media houses should establish internal watchdogs or ombudsman systems to address complaints and grievances regarding biased or unethical reporting. 
• Regulating Sensationalism and Clickbait Journalism: News organizations should be encouraged to prioritize factual, well-researched reporting over sensationalism. 
  • The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, mandate that digital news publishers adhere to a Code of Ethics. 
• Implementing and Enforcing Media Ethics Codes: Media bodies like the Press Council of India should revise and strictly enforce ethical codes.
  • The All India Newspaper Editors’ Conference (AINEC) has developed a Code of Ethics for journalists.
• Fostering Media Literacy Among the Public: Educational campaigns that promote media literacy can help readers recognize credible sources and differentiate between reliable journalism and misinformation.
• Collaborating with Fact-Checking Organizations: Partnerships with independent fact-checking organizations can enhance the accuracy of news reporting. 
• Reducing Corporate and Political Influence: Journalists and media houses must be free from corporate and political pressures to ensure unbiased reporting. 

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