Publishers get personal with ethics

Michael Josephson challenges participants on the opening session of the seminar. Photo by Jim Kirby

That question was put to 20 newspaper publishers and executives by ethicist Michael Josephson Monday afternoon at the American Press Institute's first Publishers' Forum on Ethics and Responsibilities. The answer, according to Josephson, can be distilled this way: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

"That's what ethics is about. Journalism ethics are no different," said Josephson, who has dubbed the list his "six pillars of character."

Carol Ann Riordan, API's Vice President of Programming and Personnel, promised at the outset of the forum that it would be a "brief, but intense" examination of the role of publishers in curing ethical breaches at newspapers. Josephson, who is the facilitator of several roundtable discussions at the forum, has been a top consultant on ethics and character issues for corporations, media and police organizations and other groups since 1985 when he founded the Josephson Institute of Ethics.

The forum, which was convened in response to recent ethical breaches at newspapers across the country, including the Jayson Blair case at The New York Times, concludes today with discussions of publishing standards and ways to make ethical leadership a business imperative.

Josephson invoked personal responses to the issue when he flashed a picture of his own family onto a screen, explaining that they are what drive him to care about his own behavior. At its roots, ethics is about "legacy. . . saying (to your children) at the end of the day — and being proud of it — 'This is what I produced, how I choose to be.' "

Josephson stressed one of his favorite journalism subjects: the lack of written policies, standards or guidelines in the newspaper business. He challenged the executives to explain why they did not have written guidelines, policies or standards for reporting and editing.

Many said they had been advised that such written policies are "roadmaps" for unethical litigators looking to sue newspapers. Josephson guffawed at that. "I'd guess your lawyers were C students, then," he said, explaining that "it is useful to be clear . . . about who you are and what you want to be."

Josephson also questioned the newspaper executives about what he calls "mission drift," a tendency for people to begin a job with pristine ideological goals, but to compromise on standards as time goes by. One way to avoid such straying, he advised, is for individuals and institutions to state goals clearly.

At the roundtables, participants discussed some of the most challenging issues facing newspapers today: trust among readers, public perceptions, government secrecy, covering issues in small communities, establishing what is "out of bounds" ethically and staying relevant.

Before the forum ends, participants said they plan to address the ethical considerations involved in profit-making, quasi-journalism such as that of the National Enquirer and the entertainment industries, corporate governance and cross-media ownership.

The seminar, held at API's headquarters, comes on the heels of one with a similar topic held in June for newspaper editors. Look for more coverage of the forum on API's Web site in the next few days.