For Immediate Release:
Dateline: Indianapolis,
IN
Thursday, December 2, 2021
CONTACT: Rod Hicks, Director of Ethics and Diversity, 317-954-0025, rhicks@spj.org
Jennifer Royer, SPJ Director of Communications and Marketing, 317-361-4134, jroyer@spj.org
INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists has launched Ethics Central, a hub for journalists on its website that brings together the most current industry news related to journalism ethics, newsroom diversity and inclusive coverage in one spot.
Ethics Central will be the place for industry professionals to discuss the latest ethics and diversity successes, failures and controversies circulating in journalism. The page will be updated daily and represent a range of perspectives that will surely prompt provocative newsroom discussions.
"We want to start conversations in newsrooms around the country. We will feature a question each week based on current journalism ethics and diversity issues and ask journalists to share their thoughts on how a situation should be handled," explained Rod Hicks, SPJ director of ethics and diversity. "These questions are a way journalists can think about real-life situations and how the SPJ Code of Ethics can help in making tough decisions in their own newsroom."
Hicks and Samuel Robinson, SPJ ethics and diversity associate, will manage Ethics Central, which includes links for journalists to access platforms to connect them with people of color who are experts in numerous disciplines or get answers on deadline to sensitive questions about race and gender. SPJ’s popular Ethics Hotline is another tool on the page for those who need immediate help.
While most stories will be aggregated from other sources, such as journalism newsletters, there also will be articles written for the page by SPJ staffers, volunteers and journalists across the country, linking issues to the SPJ Code of Ethics. Interactive forums will let visitors share their opinions on industry news related to ethics and diversity.
"Ethics Central is one-stop shopping for journalists, both professional and students who are looking for direction and answers on ethics and diversity," said SPJ National President Rebecca Aguilar. "We are confident that journalists will find this SPJ resource as the right tool to understand better the important role of ethics and diversity in journalism today."
This project was made possible through a generous grant from Craig Newmark Philanthropies.
SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.
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