ABSTRACT
The Radio Television Digital News Association code makes specific references to deception and hidden recording devices. The code states that “Deception in newsgathering, including surreptitious recording, conflicts with journalism’s commitment to truth.” When publishing or broadcasting stories in communities in which several teenagers have taken their own lives, media organizations typically include warning signs that parents should look for in their own children, as well as the phone numbers of suicide hotlines that teenagers can call in times of crisis. “Checkbook journalism” refers to the act of paying news sources for interviews or other forms of access. The codes of ethics of professional organizations, as well as the policy manuals of individual newspapers, include provisions that prohibit employees from accepting from news sources “freebies” such as gifts and meals or travel opportunities often referred to as “media junkets.” Throughout the history of journalism, print and broadcast journalists have struggled with decisions concerning the publication of controversial information.
