SPJ Code of Ethics
8 News Values
Ledes / Leads
Ethical Dilemmas
Interview Process / and News Angles
100

A situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two courses of action, either of which entails transgressing a moral principle.

What is an ethical dilemma

100

This News Value takes into consideration how many people are affected and how seriously they are affected 

What is Impact

100

The opening sentence or paragraph of a news article, summarizing the most important aspects of the story.


What is a lede? 

100

Some journalists have even risked jail time rather than identify a source such as a government whistleblower or corporate leak.

What is protecting sources?

100

Who What When Where Why

What are the 5 W's?

200

This particular code of ethics requires that Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair. Journalists should be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.

What is Seek Truth and Report It. 

200

In this News Value, people have the power to make an event that might not be big news, a big deal based off of their popularity. 

What is prominence
200

The lede of your feature article...

What is a nut graf? 

200

Journalists and editors often work together to balance an obligation to accurately report the news while also doing no harm.

They may have to choose between protecting the person's biographical information and delivering a huge story.  

What is Privacy vs News Value.

200

A person(s) of contact that provides information for your story / interview.

What is a source?

300

Journalists responsibilities lie in balancing a suspect’s right to a fair trial with the public’s right to know. And considering the implications of identifying criminal suspects before they face legal charges.

What is Minimize Harm? 

300

This particular News Value gives information that the public needs to navigate the world like weather reports and health information

What is Usefulness / Stewardship

300

Also known as a delayed lede, this particular type doesn't have to get all the important points into the first graf. It can take several grafs, usually no more than three or four, to lead the reader into the story, through the use of description, anecdote or by setting a scene.

What is a feature lede.

300

One of the pillars of journalism ethics is impartiality. News stories should be reported fairly, objectively, and without being a direct participant of the event they are writing about. 

What is conflict of interest

300

when you take another person's words and place them in your own document. These must always be placed inside quotation marks and given appropriate attribution

What is a direct quote?

400

Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. Disclose unavoidable conflicts.

What is Act Independently. 

400

This News Value emphasizes that the story provides new, updated relevant information..

What is Timeliness

400

Another word for paragraph in journalism that is usually shortened to just four letters..

What is a graf. 

400

A basic rule you’ll encounter in newsrooms is that certain victims of crimes are not identified by name – particularly when the victim is a child.

Protecting Sources

400

The idea or fact taken from an outside source and used in a second piece of writing.

What is an indirect quote?

500

Acknowledge mistakes and correct them promptly and prominently. Explain corrections and clarifications carefully and clearly.

What is Be Accountable and Transparent. 

500

This News Value includes how many and how seriously, but can also be measured by the depth of pain, shock or how “out of character” or “unexpected” something might be.

What is Weight

500

With this kind of lede, the journalist sets a scene or tells a story without immediately making clear the Who or What of a story, in order to build tension, establish a tone, or pique audience interest.

What is a blind lede

500

Publications struggle to balance the point that running popular stories undermine a news organization’s commitment to meaningful reporting?

What is audience as a customer?

500

 It's the lens through which the writer filters the information he or she has gathered and focuses it to make it meaningful to viewers or readers.

What is Story Angle

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