NB: Exceptions to the following will occasionally arise, when the greater public interest is paramount. But generally, media representatives SHALL:
1. Identify themselves clearly and quickly
2. Be accurate, fair and balanced, corroborate information and correct it when wrong
3. Distinguish between fact and opinion
4. Respect the right to reply
5. Respect privacy and not record or film people in private places without their consent
6. Use sympathy and discretion in stories involving shock or grief
7. Gain permission from the hospital before interviewing patients
8. Use discretion when reporting brutality, sexual conduct
9. Be especially careful when handling hate speech
10. Declare any financial interests in firms they report on and declare perks/gifts
11. Protect confidential sources and be clear about ‘off the record’ exchanges
12. Declare any significant manipulation applied to images
13. Declare to their employer any political participation
14. Adhere to embargoes
15. Ensure user-generated and wire service material conforms to the unabridged version of this Code
16. Be wary of using material from social networking sites without permission
Media representatives SHALL NOT:
1. Harass or intimidate people
2. Interview or photograph under 16s without their parents’ permission (public events are exceptions)
3. Name relatives or friends of those convicted or accused of crime, without their permission
4. Intercept phone calls or emails
5. Use pejorative references to skin colour, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, illness or age
6. Personally profit from financial information gained in advance of its general release
7. Pay witnesses to crime for stories
8. Use the images or words of fellow media professionals without permission and/or attribution