What are the main responsibilities, liabilities or duties as a Journalist

A journalist should :

1. A journalist should keep union and professional secrets.

2. He/she should not falsify information, oblige documents on distort facts.

3. Every journalist should keep in mind the danger in the laws of libel, contempt of court and copyrights.

4. A journalist never belongs to any party.

5. Crime reporter should not become the PRC. of the police station.

6. He should not involve himself in black-mailing and bribery.

7. He should be careful regarding accuracy in reports.

8. Free diffusion of news and views being one of the inviolate rights of man. A journalist should always uphold the principle of liberty of the press.

9. Primary responsibility of journalist is to be a society not individual or groups.

10. Another responsibility of journalist is to expose and oppose untruth.

11. A journalist always defends his own rights and rights of his colleagues in the profession, to present the news and views.

12. A journalist should always choose a paper of his own policy.

13. He should avoid all unethical practices. Such as wrong use of “By Line” indecency, invasion of private rights, feelings, unproven charges which affect the reputation or moral character of any citizen.

14. Press shall not publish anything which may create an ill-will between different sections of the people.

15. Press should refrain from publishing anything likely to bring in hatred or contempt for the head of any foreign state and shall further refrain from publishing anything likely to prejudice, maintenance of friendly relations between the government and the government of any foreign state.

16. In reporting of proceedings of the national and provincial assemblies, such portions of proceedings as the speaker may have ordered to be expunged from the record of assembly, shall not be published.

17. Reports of laws or tribunals, specially the proceeding of trials of political significance, instructions of the judge should strictly be observed.

18. Matters which must remain secret in the vital interest of the State should not be published.
Examples :
(i) James Rosten correspondent of “Time” in Washington exposed the news of “U-2”.
(ii) In the case of Cuban missile, Greyoof fulfilled his responsibility and did not expose the secrets, and played an important role in the victory and peace.
Now we are aware that a journalist should draw a line between war and peace time.

19. No newspaper shall accept in any form or shape, any financial aid on the behalf of any foreign country.

20. Willful calumny, slander, libel are serious professional offences.

21. Headlines should not materially distort the contents of the news.

22. Embargo on release, dates of news, articles and pictures should be observed.

23. Paid commercials or advertisements in the form of news, articles, pictures and features should be published in such a way as to leave no doubt that they actually are commercial announcement or advertisements.