Adopted by Journalists of the Republic Slovenia in 1993.
1.
Journalist's fundamental obligation is to provide the public with an
authentic and true information.
A journalist reports as a witness or on the basis of facts and proofs
that have a known origin.
Omitting crucial and known facts, concealing and banning information
or falsifying documents is against the code. The norm of trustworthiness;
that is the principle of truth, must be respected in text, picture and
sound.
Any violation done by cutting, editing or in any other deceptive way,
that alters the true message of the source, is unacceptable.
It is a journalist's right ot be unimpeded in gathering and conveying
the information and to report the cases where the access to information
has been illegally of groundlessly restricted.
Principle 1.1. Preelectional period
For the sake of objective as well as free and balanced information,
journalists are entitled to report from pre-electional meetings also
the opinions that might be against their personal belief. This principle
applies also to advertisements or announcements protected by the freedom
of press.
Principle 1.2. Press releases
The releases for public and press, issued by the authorities, political
parties, societies or other associations of interest, have to be specially
declared as such, that is clearly marked, particularly when no editorial
work has been done on them.
2.
A journalist has to check very carefully all information in picture and
words, intended for publishing; their arrangement, grouping and pattern.
Titles and subtitles must not alter or falsify the contents. Unconfirmed
news, rumours or assumptions must be declared in this regard. Library
material (photographs from the archives) and symbolic pictures need also
to be declared as such. A plagiat is irreconciable with the code of journalists.
Principle 2.1. Publishing of the public opinion polls
The code recommends publishing of the methods of research: the number
of people that answered the research questionaries, the time when the
research was done and who ordered the research.
Principle 2.2. Symbolic illustration
When an illustration could be understood as an authentic recording,
although it is not, it is recommendable to add an explanation:
- a supplementary or additional illustration,
- an illustration in the manner of stylization (artistic visualisation
of the text).
- a photomontage (photo-edit) or other alterations of the original.
Principle 2.3. Announcements or excerpts
Editorships that publish the announcements of the contents of excerpts
of articles, are bound to assure, that shorter versions or complements
do not alter the meaning of the original and do not allow the creation
of any wrong conclusions.
Principle 2.4. Interview
An interview is irreproachable from the aspect of journalism, if the
interviewee authorises the final version. In cases where the authorisation
is not possible due to the lack of time, the interviewee has to be informed
undoubtedly and in advance that his statements will be published in
the form of an interview. An interview in verbal or written form in
such circumstances is not regarded as mere news, but as a piece of work,
which is protected by legal author's rights, especially when the text
is arranged in a way, where quotations are included. In case when an
article is based on such an interview of a personal character and published
in whole or in its vital parts, the source needs to be declared. When
a journalist indirectly summarises essential thoughts in his or her
own words, a journalist's honour obliges him to declare the source.
Principle 2.5. Embargo
A time limit that prohibits the publishing certain news before the
given time, is acceptable from the professional point of view only when
it is for the benefit of informing. An embargo is, in principle, an
uncommitted agreement between the source and the media. Respecting of
the embargo is meaningful only when based on a professionally grounded
reason: the text of a speech before the speech is actually done, a business
report sent in advance, an information on the event which is to take
place (meetings, conclusions, ceremonies...) It is unbecoming to use
the embargo to achieve greater publicity.
Principle 2.6. Readers' letters
1) Letters from the readers should be published when they in their
form and contents meet the form of expressing an opinion and as such
contribute to the forming of a public opinion.
2) A reader sending such a letter should declare in it that it is meant
for public publishing. In case of doubt, the editor is obliged to consult
the author.
3) As a rule letters from readers should be published together with
the name of the author. Only in exceptional cases, known to the editorship,
only in the initials of the author may be published or some other adequate
solution found.
4) Legal restrictions applying to punishable offences apply also to
the publishing of the letters from readers. The responsible editor will
be held responsible for them.
5) To publish falsified readers' letters in order to deceive the public
is irreconcilable with the code of journalists. When there is any doubt
regarding the identity of the author, the editor is obliged to check
it. Readers' letters can be abridged only if the column bears a permanent
notice on the recommended length and a warning that longer letters shall
be abridged, but that the abridged version shall not alter the meaning
and contents of the letter.
3.
A journalist is obliged to distinct the information and the commentary.
The distinction between reporting the facts and a commentary must be obvious.
4.
The information or statement that later proves to be wrong, must be corrected
by a journalist that reported it or by his or her editorial office - immediately
and on his or their own initiative and in an adequate form.
Principle 4.1. Correction
A correction must undoubtedly declare that previous information as
a whole or in part was untrue. Therefore the previous publishment of
the information, now corrected, need to be mentioned together with the
correction. The editorship is obliged to publish the correction. It
cannot be avoided by publishing, for example, a reader's letter.
5.
It is against the code to use illegal and dishonest means in seeking
and gathering information, evidence and pictures.
Principle 5.1. Identification
A journalist performing his task need to present him/ herself and,
if requested, present his/ her journalist card. It is irreconcilable
with the code to conceal journalist's identity.
Principle 5.2. Research
Research is a legitimate means of publicist activity. At this it is
necessary to respect the limitation comprised in the Constitution, the
Laws and the respect of the honour of the person. Eventual public interest
cannot serve as an excuse for illegal or immoral ways or methods of
journalistic research.
In case of accidents and catastrophes saving the injured and victims
has the priority before the right to inform the public.
6.
A journalist is obliged to respect the confidence demanded by his/ her
source of information.
A journalist respects a business secret, may refuse to appear as a witness
and has the right to refuse to reveal his/ her source of information.
Principle 6.1. Confidence
A journalist is obliged to respect the confidence at all times, unless
the information is part of a plan for committing a criminal offense,
where a journalist is obliged by law to report it.
Principle 6.2. Informing the intelligence service
A journalist which serves as an informer to an intelligence service,
discredits the profession of a journalist and the function of journalism.
Principle 6.3. Distinction of a journalist and political activity
If and when a journalist accepts a leading function in a political
party or in an organ of the state authorities, it is recommendable to
make a clear distinction between his professional and political activities.
For the reputation and credibility of journalism it is useful that
in such cases a journalist stops performing in his profession for the
time when he is actively engaged in politics. Thus it is possible to
avoid the feeling of double loyalty or dependence
7.
It is irreconcilable with the journalistic code to perform acquisition,
accept a bribe or publish information to serve the purpose and benefit
of an outside ordering party.
Advertising messages and advertisements must be clearly and undoubtedly
separated from journalistic messages.
Principle 7.1. Separation of journalistic messages and advertisements
Advertisements and paid advertising messages must be distinguishly
separated from the messages in the spirit of this code in their form,
contents and approach. In case of any doubt, it is necessary to add
a note and thus point out that the message is a paid advertisement.
8.
A journalist protects the personality and privacy of a person against
unjustified and sensationalistic revealing to the public. A journalist
is especially tactful and considerate when reporting on accidents, tragic
events in families, diseases, children and juvenile persons.
When reporting on matters from the field of jurisdiction, a journalist
must pay regard to the fact that no one is to be said to be guilty until
the person is lawfully found guilty.
It is irreconcilable with the code to praise criminal, terrorism, violence
and inhumanity.
Principle 8.1. Mentioning names, publishing pictures/ photographs
To mention names and publish pictures/ photographs of persons causing
accidents or victims of accidents in reports on the accidents, investigations
and prosecution procedures is in general not justified. It is always
necessary to consider and decide between the public interest and rights
of the individual person in question.
Special protection should be given to victims of assaults and crimes
as well as to the family of the incriminated person that committed the
crime.
Principle 8.2. Jubilees
Announcements of jubilees of persons which do not perform exposed public
functions are generally acceptable and allowed, provided the person
celebrating the jubilee consented to it.
Principle 8.3. Disease
Physical and psychical diseases or impairments are an inalienable part
of personal privacy and as a rule cannot be the subject of journalistic
reporting when names are mentioned.
9.
Publishing of unfounded accusations, charges, lies, offences and libels
is against the code of journalists.
10.
Any discrimination based on the sex, membership in ethnical, religious,
social or national groups, any violation of religious feelings and customs,
any kind of warmonger activity or engagement in igniting conflicts among
different nations is irreconcilable with the code.
11.
A journalist has the right to refuse to perform any task which is against
this code and his personal belief, without being punished.
No one is entitled to change or alter a journalist's product in order
to change its contents or vitally abridge it without the consent or permission
of the journalist-author.
A journalist has the right to sign his reports.
A journalist's name cannot be signed under his/ her piece of work without
his/ her knowledge or against his/ her will.
Principle 11.1. Unsigned articles and pseudonyms
The editorship takes upon itself the responsibility for an unsigned
article or an article signed by a pseudonym.