To Tell You the Truth: The Ethical Journalism Initiative

According to its foreword, this book was written to encourage ethical journalism in the face of "[a] crisis [that] has engulfed media in Europe and America, inflicting profound changes on journalism." Budget cutting, political pressures, and newsroom complexity contribute to a need for an ethical code to support journalists in "keep[ing] watch on those in power, to inform citizens and to act in the public interest." Published by the International Federation of Journalists with funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this book articulates an ethical platform from which journalists can work.

Contents include the following:

• Foreword
  
• IFJ Declaration of Principles on the Conduct of Journalists
  
• The IFJ Code of Principles for the Conduct of Journalism: A Global Standard for Ethics
  
• Introduction
  
• Chapter 1: Ethical Journalism -  Initiative Ethical Journalism Initiative: From Aspirations to Action; Towards an Ethical Environment: A Checklist; A Campaign Agenda for Mission in Journalism
  
• Chapter 2: Why Ethics Matter -  Why Ethics Matter; Many Media, One Ethical Tradition; Ethical Journalism for Testing Times
  
• Chapter 3: A Changing Media Landscape -  Media in Crisis: Managing Change Hurts; Uncertain Futures: Rights and Wrongs of Fearful Politics; Citizen Journalism?: It’s a Question of Quality; Handout Journalism: Media Turn to Non-Profit Support to Fill Funding Gaps
  
• Chapter 4: Subterfuge, War, Crime, Race, Intolerance -  Deceptive Handling of the Truth; The Ethical Choices When Media Go to War; Journalism in the Face of Intolerance and Racism
  
• Chapter 5: The Legal Minefield Protection of Sources -  The Two-Edged Sword of Legal Protection; Freedom of Information; Privacy and the Rights of Journalists; The Law and Religion, Terrorism and Hate Speech; Defamation
  
• Chapter 6: Building Trust and Credibility -  Building Trust and Credibility; Calling Journalism to Account: Peer Review; Gifts, Politics and Reporting Money: Avoiding Conflicts of Interest; Glittering Prizes Quality Journalism on a Pedestal; Money, Money, Money: Journalism in Deficit; Distorted Visions: Bias Keeps Women Out of Focus; Children: Telling Stories that Show Respect; Ethical Health Care Reporting
  
• Epilogue: Time for a New Solidarity and Humanity in Journalism
  
• Appendices
  
• Bibliography
  
• Useful Links