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Ethics

The past 30 or so years have seen tremendous changes in the way various groups of people are portrayed: journalists have had to consider the way they operate and write, perhaps to a greater degree than in the past. Sometimes as a result of legislation or codes of conduct, or sometimes simply as a result of changes about what is or is not acceptable in society, the way language is used to describe people has changed quite dramatically in many cases.

With poverty there has been no specific change – though clearly journalists must follow guidelines when interviewing or reporting on vulnerable groups such as children and older people.

In their introduction to Reporting poverty in the UK, Bob Satchwell, Executive Director, Society of Editors, and Caroline Diehl, Chief Executive, Media Trust, state:

"Issues such as poverty are frequently discussed in bland phrases or camouflaged by academic jargon. The fact is they concern people – our potential audiences of readers, listeners, viewers, internet users and even twitterers. It would be wrong both ethically and commercially not to do them the service of reporting their lives as sensitively as we would any other members of our communities.

"The Society of Editors wants journalists to understand the facts and report them fairly and accurately."

The Press Complaints Commission's code of practice is the most significant code for journalists. It does not specifically refer to poverty but its first condition on accuracy is clearly relevant, as is its third:

"1. Accuracy
i) The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information, including pictures."
and
"iii) The Press, whilst free to be partisan, must distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact."

Similarly the National Union of Journalists' Code of Conduct requires members to:

"… ensure that information disseminated is honestly conveyed, accurate and fair… and … differentiates between fact and opinion…"

The BBC has extensive guidelines covering every aspect of broadcasting and in particular to news and documentaries.

Related to all this are considerations about:

  • anonymity: people may ask for their names to be withheld because of stigma, fear of reactions of neighbours or other factors;
  • payments to interviewees: poor people may need to be reimbursed for expenses or other costs, which would not normally be the case in other situations;
  • checking copy: it may be appropriate in some cases to give a person sight of copy;
  • getting consent from interviewees and making sure they are aware of how a piece may be used.

People in poverty may be more vulnerable to some of the repercussions that publicity can bring than some interviewees. It is also worth being aware of the issues third sector organisations have to think through when approached by journalists for case studies.

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