ABSTRACT
Everyday journalists must make choices about what they can or cannot do legally, and what they should or should not do ethically. The law dictates what journalists can or cannot do in carrying out their work. Violating the law could put you in jail or prison (usually criminal action) or could leave you paying lots of money in damages (civil action). The consequence of violating the law is pretty straightforward. Journalism ethics, however, entails what journalists should or should not do in carrying out their work. The consequences of violating ethical standards are varied and often ill-defined. They can range from posting or publishing a simple correction to firing.
