Code of Ethics

Codes of ethics are at the core of media self-regulation, as they define the standards that are expected of the media in their reporting. Standards are also necessary to ensure the highest ethical conduct by the media, and a knowledge of what these commons standards are. The public knows what behaviour to expect from journalists and further know the standards against which to measure their performance. Furthermore, journalists use codes of ethics for self-monitoring and peer review of journalistic work.

As media accountability instruments in Africa, codes of ethics provide a set of common professional standards of conduct for media practitioners and media institutions. The codes seek to ensure that media professionals maintain the highest professional and ethical standards in carrying out their function of informing, educating and entertaining the public. Code of ethics in Africa provide guidelines on areas that include: accuracy and fairness; correction of inaccuracy and distortion; right of reply; bribes and inducements; payment for information; hatred or violence; reporting of elections; privacy; interviewing or photographing children; surreptitious gathering of information and national security. Further to this, Code of ethics in South Africa also enshrine freedom of expression and emphasize that the right to inform does not extend to propaganda for war, incitement of imminent violence and advocacy of hatred that is based on race , ethnicity, gender or religion and incitement to cause harm.

Some examples of codes of ethics are provided below

Benin

  • Code de Deontologie

Botswana

Ghana

Kenya

Malawi

Namibia

Nigeria

South Africa

Tanzania

Uganda

Zimbabwe

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