ABSTRACT
The question of professionalism in media looms large within the overall landscape of ethical behavior. Professions are supposed to have strong ethical standards that, in some ways, set them apart from other occupations. An established intellectual tradition coupled with a strong professional organization is a clear indicator of increasing professionalization among the media. One of the key features that differentiates a profession from an occupation is service to society as a whole. There are some basic ways in which most professions attempt to serve the public interest. First, a profession may serve the public interest in a general sense by simply "being there". A second way in which the public interest may be served is through pro bono work. One of the strongest reasons for belonging to a profession is that certain behaviors, peculiar to that occupation, are spelled out and either encouraged or discouraged by its code.
