BROADCAST
JOURNALISM EHTICS
FOR NEWS AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS PROGRAM:
REFLECTIONS OF PENALTIES WITH KBP
CODE
PROF. JEFFREY P. DEATRAS
BABC, MPSDC, PH.D (CANDIDATE)
Ethical goals of news program
 News and public affairs programs shall aim
primarily to inform the public on important
current events and issues rather than
merely to entertain
 KBP CODE RELEVANCE: It is strongly
advised that the provision should be
observed. No penalty other than censure is
prescribed but the KBP highly recommends
its implementation.
Ethical requirements for news
 News shall be part of the station’s daily
programming. No less than 30 minutes of
daily programming should be devoted to
news
 KBP CODE RELEVANCE:
 Violation of this code will receive sanctions
as SERIOUS OFFENSE.
Fairness and Objectivity in News
 News shall be fair, factual, and objective
 Receiving bribes, gifts, privileges or any
consideration to favor one side of the story,
stop a story from airing, or put any person in
either bad or favorable light is prohibited.
 KBP CODE RELEVANCE:
 Violation of this code will receive sanctions
as GRAVE OFFENSE
Fairness and Objectivity in News
 Side comments expressing personal opinions
while a news item is being reported or delivered
are prohibited to prevent the audience from
mistaking opinion for news
 When presented as part of news program,
editorials or commentaries must be identified as
such and presented as distinct from news reports
 KBP CODE RELEVANCE:
 Violation of this code will receive sanctions as
SERIOUS OFFENSE
Journalism Ethics in News Sources
 Care must be taken in selecting news sources
since the credibility of the news rests upon its
sources.
 Only news that can be attributed to a news shall
be aired. When a source cannot be named, the
reason for this must be made clear in the news
report.
 KBP CODE RELEVANCE:
 Violation of this code will receive sanctions as
GRAVE OFFENSE
Journalism Ethics in News Sources
 News sources must be clearly identified,
except when confidentiality of the source
was a condition for giving the information.
 Information provided by confidential sources
may be aired only if it is in the public interest
for doing so.
 KBP CODE RELEVANCE:
 Violation of this code will receive sanctions
as SERIOUS TO GRAVE OFFENSE
Journalism Ethics in News Sources
 Before airing information news from
confidential source, another source should
corroborate the information.
 Press release may be used as news
sources after sources are verified and
authenticated.
 KBP CODE RELEVANCE:
 Violation of this code will receive sanctions
as SERIOUS OFFENSE
Journalism Ethics in News Sources
 Suspects or fugitives of the law may be
interviewed as news sources but the act and
information should not aid, encourage, or
accompany their planning or committing a crime
 Rumors or gossips should not be aired in the
guise of the news. Anonymous, confidential, or
unknown source shall not justify the rumors.
 KBP CODE RELEVANCE:
 Violation of this code will receive sanctions as
SERIOUS TO GRAVE OFFENSE