2 - Approaches to media ethics

Summary

Suppose you are a reporter in London, England. You are covering a hotly contested general election for Parliament. Someone tells you at a social event that there are allegations that John Jones, the Conservative Party leader, has sexually harassed women on his office staff. That “someone” is Jason, a senior election worker for the Labour Party. Jason mentions that a woman in Jones’s office, Martha, has told fellow staffers about his actions. You contact Martha by telephone. She confirms she was sexually harassed by Jones. She hints there may be other victims, but refuses to go into detail. Martha says she is considering laying a complaint with the police. “Please don’t use my name,” she asks.

Sitting at your newsroom desk, you feel uncertain about your next step. Should you report this allegation immediately, using the information that you have? How would that affect the woman, the politician, the election? Should you use the woman’s name? Why are you feeling uncomfortable when this is a great news story?