Journalist’s Creed

After reading The Journalist’s Creed written by Walter Williams, I would like to point out that the eight principles of journalism he endorses are full of justice, kindness and wisdom, which bring us a lot of thinking. 

First of all, he considers journalism as a sacred profession which requires people’s right attitudes. Secondly, he points out that all the people referred by the public journal should be reliable and they are trustees for the public who need to be responsible for the public. Meanwhile, he warns that any one who is driven by profits rather than public service is a betrayer of his trust. By this way, he harshly criticizes those greedy journalists who only think about money. Thirdly, he recommends that to be a good journalism, clear thinking and clear statement, accuracy and fairness are fundamental. These are standard requirements a journalist must meet. Fourthly, he thinks that what a journalist said must be consistent with what he thought to be true. This means that as a journalist, one needs to have a clear mind of the criterion of truth and can not fabricate rumors. The next principle he suggests is that no one can suppress the news except those who put the public welfare in the first place. This is an important requirement of the freedom of journalism, the precondition for ensuring people’s right to know. While it is unwise to sacrifice the public welfare for the journalism freedom. In addition, he believes that if a man can not say in good manners, or if a man can easily be affected by his won or other people’s prejudice he should not write as a journalist. Journalism has a function of inheriting and passing on civilization. It can also provide guidance for social trends. Therefore, journalist should behave properly and meet the requirements of social ethic. The news which is misled by the author’s prejudice may become exaggerated, subjective, and misleading. This means that the journalist fails to take his own responsibility. Besides, Williams also says that journalism should serve the best interests of readers. The most important thing for journalism is to hold a helpful truth seeking attitude. For the false news is harmful to the public interests, truthful and benefit to readers are very important for journalism. Last but not least, he tells some characters that journalism should has--be stoutly independent, unmoved by pride of opinion or greed of power, constructive, tolerant but never careless, self-controlled, patient. It is respectful of its readers but always unafraid, is quickly indignant at injustice, is unswayed by the appeal of privilege or the clamor of the mob. It seeks to give every man a chance and is profoundly patriotic.

Nowadays, the principles mentioned by Walter Williams in the beginning of the 20th century still have great affection. They are just like mirrors that can help the public to recognize the ugly face of false journalism. 

Firstly, taking CNN and BBC for an example, during the Beijing Olympic Games, Some journalists in CNN and BBC, such as Jack Cafferty, warped the reality and distorted the truth with the intention of insulting Chinese people. They not only forgot the original meaning of journalism but also betrayed the standard of justice and object. They should not be included in the press media industry. On one hand, just as Williams says, “no one should write as a journalist what he would not say as a gentleman” they are incompetent journalists and they should be to balm for their baseless accusation and attacks on the relay of the Beijing Olympic Games. On the other hand, their report fails to promote international goodwill and strengthen the friendship of the world.

In addition, CNN and BBC, the mainstream medium in western countries are desperately fond of some particular news. For example, we can easily find so many news about how Tibetan separatists disturb the Beijing Olympic Games and how they split China. However, these medium are reluctant to report or even ignore and misrepresent the actions of ethnic Chinese who support the Beijing Olympics and are against the Tibetan separatists. They can not “accuracy and fairness” thus they lose the “fundament to good journalism”. Walter Williams’ The Journalist’s Creed is the beginning of the construction of media ethics in America. Afterwards, many news professional groups has set up a series of ethical principles for journalism. Until 1947 the Journalist’s Creed was generally accepted by western press. It can be considered as the basic code of professional ethics. If journalists can not submit the basic professional ethics, how can they take full responsibilities for the society?

However, with the development of the society, we need to pay attention to some new problems and to update and add some new creeds which conform to the trend of the times. Personally, I would like to set up five principles:
Setting up accurate scale so that journalists can do some self-reflection.
Seeking approaches that can facilitate public supervision on journalism.
Cooperating with each other and ensuring fair competition.
Respecting the masses as well as peer fellows.
Carrying forward the theme of the current age.

Sometimes, journalists are too absorbed in what they are reporting to find out their own prejudice. Then a series of strict and accurate scale is needed which can remind the journalists of their shortcomings. Thus setting up accurate scale is desperately needed. What’s more, because the purpose of journalism is to serve the public, public supervision on journalism is consequently essential. Besides, the rapid improvement in IT-industry brings great challenge to the press industry. It is really difficult for journalists to pick out the right information for the right audience. So the journalists need to cooperate with each other and more importantly they should try to build an environment of fair competition. In the modern world, competition is unavoidable and essential at the same time. It can bring a lot of benefits if competition can run by rules. In other words, fair competition rather than vicious competition is welcome. Through fair competition, journalists can overcome their shortcomings by learning from other’s strong points. It is easy to understand that journalism should respect the masses. After all it serves the public. While, the peer fellows of journalists should also be respected including their original thoughts their reports as well as their own achievements. Last but not least, as the guidance of public opinion, journalism need to carry forward the main theme of the times. Only if the people in our society have the common dream and value, can our society become more and more thriving and prosperous.

With the ample information from the Internet and traditional press, we may own a widely open window to see the world. We may feel so tight and painful when our compatriots suffer from some harm which may be from the war or some server illness. What’s more, we may also feel so happy to share what we want and experience with other people just like the Olympic Games. At present, we become more dependent on the development of the information industry. So the journalists shoulder the responsibility to report the truth of the event. Each of them should have the respect to his or her career and show more earnest to what he or she does. Meanwhile, on one hand, the public should give considerate comprehension and toleration to the journalists. On the other hand, we should supervise their behavior and the contents of the report. In order to construct a harmonious society, it is the journalists’ duty and responsibility to reflect the truth of the report. But it is also our duty to give more attention and supervision to its development. 
 
Cited Works
Williams, Walter. "The Journalist's Creed." Missouri School of Journalism. http://www. Journalism. missouri. edu/about/creed. html (accessed March 22, 2010) (1914).
Weaver, David H., and Lars Willnat, eds. The global journalist in the 21st century. Routledge, 2012.


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