ST.
PETERSBURG, FL (July 10, 2004) Ü The Board of Directors of the National
Press
Photographers Association, Inc., today unanimously adopted an updated
Code
of Ethics for the organization and its members during the final day of
their
meeting at The Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg,
FL.
The new Code of Ethics came before the Board as a resolution requiring a
vote,
which was unanimous.
Here
is the NPPA's new Code of Ethics:
Preamble
The
National Press Photographers Association, a professional society that
promotes
the highest standards in photojournalism, acknowledges concern for
every
person's need both to be fully informed about public events and to be
recognized
as part of the world in which we live.
Photojournalists
operate as trustees of the public. Our primary role is to
report
visually on the significant events and varied viewpoints in our
common
world. Our primary goal is the faithful and comprehensive depiction
of
the subject at hand. As photojournalists, we have the responsibility to
document
society and to preserve its history through images.
Photographic
and video images can reveal great truths, expose wrongdoing and
neglect,
inspire hope and understanding and connect people around the globe
through
the language of visual understanding. Photographs can also cause
great
harm if they are callously intrusive or are manipulated.
This
code is intended to promote the highest quality in all forms of
photojournalism
and to strengthen public confidence in the profession. It is
also
meant to serve as an educational tool both for those who practice and
for
those who appreciate photojournalism. To that end, The National Press
Photographers
Association sets forth the following Code of Ethics:
Code
of Ethics
Photojournalists
and those who manage visual news productions are
accountable
for upholding the following standards:
1) Be accurate and comprehensive in the
representation of subjects.
2) Resist being manipulated by staged
photo opportunities.
3) Be complete and provide context when
photographing or recording
subjects.
Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups. Recognize and work to
avoid
presenting one's own biases in the work.
4) Treat all subjects with respect and
dignity. Give special consideration
to
vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or tragedy.
Intrude
on private moments of grief only when the public has an overriding
and
justifiable need to see.
5) While photographing subjects do not
intentionally contribute to, alter,
or
seek to alter or influence events.
6) Editing should maintain the integrity
of the photographic images'
content
and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any
way
that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.
7) Do not pay sources or subjects or
reward them materially for information
or
participation.
8) Do not accept gifts, favors, or
compensation from those who might seek
to
influence coverage.
9) Do not intentionally sabotage the
efforts of other journalists.
Ideally,
photojournalists should:
1) Strive to ensure that the public's
business is conducted in public.
Defend
the rights of access for all journalists.
2) Think proactively, as a student of
psychology, sociology, politics and
art
to develop a unique vision and presentation. Work with a voracious
appetite
for current events and contemporary visual media.
3) Strive for total and unrestricted
access to subjects, recommend
alternatives
to shallow or rushed opportunities, seek a diversity of
viewpoints,
and work to show unpopular or unnoticed points of view.
4) Avoid political, civic and business
involvements or other employment
that
compromise or give the appearance of compromising one's own
journalistic
independence.
5) Strive to be unobtrusive and humble in
dealing with subjects.
6) Respect the integrity of the
photographic moment.
7) Strive by example and influence to
maintain the spirit and high
standards
expressed in this code. When confronted with situations in which
the
proper action is not clear, seek the counsel of those who exhibit the
highest
standards of the profession. Photojournalists should continuously
study
their craft and the ethics that guide it.
©
2004 The National Press Photographers Association, Inc.