Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-06-24
NEWSPAPER ETHICS:
Missouri Publishers ! xoqglld DltaN CON.
preheDSlVe Lines.
TRUTH BASIS, OF !dle6j JOURNALISM! 4 /! 81 !!

Public Has in His Newspaper in
Self Purpose. ,.,:;s:::j fss;:szstI ~
(From The Publishers Auxiliary:
The meeting Of *theeiM MissQ1,ra
association held, recently ,at. Missouri
university at. Columbia, Mo-, was nof
only largely attended, but thee sessions
were Of unusual intereat- .;:;% G,;' ~ -: :. ::
The most, important natter before
the association was the adoptionsof11a 20 "a
code of ethics; which had beena prepaf-
ed by William Southern; r:,' editor :of
The Independence Examiner.ss5f:,& a.,
Declaration Of principles and: code. Of
practice! 'z.'fr7i;;fa;;'E' :. z
(; ..: Preamble. =: =
In America, where the. stability OF
the government i, rests .upon the ap-
proval of the people; It is essential
that newspaperssstbe medium. through
which the people draw their informa-
tion, be developed Ito: a high point of
efficiency, STABILITY iinpartiality and:
integrity The future ,of the republic
depends on the maintenance Of q, high
standard among Journalists. such.a
standard cannot be maintained unless
the motives and conduct of. the men1=
bers of our profession are such s,as
merit approval and confidence:
The profession Of i sH, saliTf en- en-
titled to stand side. by, side Xtth; the
other learned is far tar
more than any. 9th et' & ltef:woYen1 +
with the lines of PUBLIC ,lE S service. Tne Efs
journalist cannot consider thts J, pr9otesSs
sion rightly unless :, he rscagnizes MS.
obligation to the publicI S]nsWspsper: Nsy
does not belong solely xAslEs ssl Z
and is not fulfilling IS; Ehess tggFFs4as, tgF4ss
tions if devoted, elfshlY Eherefasi
the Missouri Press assoeia
ents the following prineirle g: :gsa
eral guide, not as a set otH pf asretss
for the practice Of joHgHat liEI sas ssaI
49,. ,i.:3~ :Editorisf: s;aifs s 5:zS;
We declare as a I'D 4f.ainidanseeAit E:pstst
ciple that truth is the basis at an casss
rect Journalism. ~ To 60 beyond the s.,
,y,th eit,,err.ia III, :lhead,ii1s
subversive of good 'joudfnaHsthr ~
suppress the truth, when .1t Eproper!yyl
belongs to the public, is betrayal 3! ;21
public faith. <;
Editorial comment should always9;s.h,e:
z ~ NJ Isr' C
fair and Just and not controller Fggy
business or political .. expediensY:
Nothing should be printed editor1aay
which the writer will not Teadiiy as-
knowledge as his own I'm public:
Control of news Or: cornmsht for bus
mess considerations is hot Worthy .of
a newspaper. The :,n1eswss should be
covered, written and Interpreted wholly
and at ali times In the interest OF thss
public. Advertisers have no claim 9n5
newspaper favor except in their, cap
acity as readers and as members or
the community. =. 81 -, :.
No person who controls theS poiicy
of a newspaper shotld at the: same
time hold office or have affiliations;
the duties Of which conflict with the
public service that his Newspaper
s,.a,,,a randor - .,..!.E-
Advertising. ,.s.
It is not good ethics nor good busi.s
ness to accept advertisements that are
dishonest, deceptive or misleading. g,
Concerns or individuals who want to!
use your columns to sell questionable
stocks or anything else which, prom :.
ise great returns for. small inyestmssntt q
should always be investigated. Our
readers should be projected; from az,
vertising sharks. Rates should be: fl1S, :
ed at a figure and never cut. The
reader deserves a square deal and tne
advertiser the same kind :of> treat
ment. ->.7ss< ~ ;;5s,:: -. ~
Advertising disguised, as news or
editorial advertising, especially should
show at glance that # Is advertising.
1t is just as bad to be bribed by the
promise of political patronage as to ,oe;
bribed by. political cash Is -
To tear down competitor In order. le:
to build up ones self is not good BUS
mess, nor is it ethical. Newspaper
controversies should never enter news
paper columns. Cool business de-
mands the same treatment to a COM
petitor that one would like for a COM
petitor to give to ones self. Create
new business rather2than try to take
away that Of another. <
Advertising should, never be- de-
manded from a customer simply be-
cause he has given it to another. pa;
per. Merit. product and service shouta
be the standard. =. - ..' *. @-.
Subscription. =:
The claiming of more subscribers
than are actually on the paid list IN
order to secure larger advertising
prices is obtaining money under false
pretenses. The advertiser is entitled
to know just what he is getting for his
money, just what the newspaper Is
selling to him. Subscription lists
made up at normal prices OF secured
by means of premiums or contests are
to he strictly avoided. z : ~ -