Independence & Accountability

Was this mayor producing journalism? Certainly he could verify, since as mayor he would know what the city was up to. But was he independent?

What might be the primary goal of his reports? And if he used a false identity, how could he be held accountable for the facts and balance of those reports?

While this example is old, we've seen similar ones pop up in recent years, where partisan organizations, such as political action committees begin to distribute "newspapers" in areas where local news outlets have been scaled back.

Accountability

Accountability means being responsible or answerable for your work.

Journalists put their name on their work. In many cases, their email address or phone number is also attached to each report. That way, if the report is factually wrong, a news consumer or subject of a news story can report the mistake.

Corrections are another way journalists are accountable for their work.

This portion of the Society of Professional Journalists' code of ethics deals with accountability:

• Clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic conduct.

• Encourage the public to voice grievances against the media.

• Admit mistakes and correct them promptly.

• Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media.

• Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others.

When checking a news outlet, see how often it publishes and makes clear mistakes that they have made and the steps taken to correct them.