Journalism Ethics

Breach of journalism ethics have been in a great way shown in the case where the Spokane Washington newspaper did use deception in trying to prove that Spokane mayor Jim West enticed teenagers into coitions. The newspaper employed a forensic computer practiced to pose as an 18-year old gay high school senior in gay.com. The expert found the mayor on the site and had him chat with him where it ended up with the mayor offering him a city internship (Zeeck, 2006).

Journalism is a group of people who have the responsibility to inform the people on the truth of what is happening but primarily give that information that will not breach any body's rights. Under this case study, the newspaper had the information where two guys accused mayor of molesting them and sodomizing them. Here the newspaper trusted the information of this two people in spite of the fact that both were convicts and could be out there to spoil the name of the mayor. The paper did not apply ethics in spite of lack of hard evidence as required for an accusation to be published (morlin, 2005).

Moreover, the paper went outside its responsibilities and employed an expert as an undercover agent to find if the mayor was using gaycom to lure youth in sexual relations. Although the expert did find it to be true, the paper had no right to do such an action and this would have been the last thing to do, hence not applying ethics to get the information.

Newspapers are meant to publish what has happened not make things happen for them to publish it despite the consequences. Here the Spokane newspaper went ahead and dig on the mayor Jim West Private life for their benefit if selling their newspapers not putting into consideration what the story may cause on the mayor. They knew the story may lead t the mayor losing his seat of mayor, lose the trust the people of Spokane had on Him and moreover the mayor's future dreams of being a senator. They did apply ethics to consider what damage they would cause on the mayor and his family.

The paper did apply deception and from the basis of the principles of journalism ethics, is that news firms and industries should not use deception to gather information. The Spokane newspaper applied dissimulation and hence they did not apply it hence they were out of the principles that did guide them.

In conclusion journalism should always ensure they report what they know is completely true and they need to report it wholly. But if the information is meant to spoil one's reputation mostly that of a prominent person, they should take caution when doing it and need be they should not publish it. In conclusion the Newspapers need to stick to their duties and not perform duties of others as that is wrong hence out of ethics. Journalism ethics is a crucial part in ensuring that the information published is fair to all (Stovall, 2005).