This document outlines codes of ethics for journalists in Sri Lanka, including the Sri Lanka Press Council Code of Ethics for Journalists and the Code of Professional Practice (Code of Ethics) of The Editors Guild of Sri Lanka. It provides background on the Sri Lanka Press Council and its objectives to protect press freedom and ensure high journalistic standards. It then details the specific ethics codes, which guide accurate, unbiased reporting and respect for individuals' privacy, while pursuing the public interest. Journalists must correct errors, avoid causing harm, and disclose conflicts of interest. The codes are intended to make the Sri Lankan press free and responsible.

1. Sri Lanka Press Council Code
of Ethics for Journalists

2. What is press council?
• Sri Lanka Press Council is a statutory institution established
under the Sri Lankan Press Council Act No. 05 of 1973 which
comes under the purview of the Ministry of Mass Media and
Information.
• A code of Ethics for journalists has been introduced as rules by
the Gazette Extraordinary No 162/5 A of 14th October 1981.

3. • Vision
To protect the press freedom of Sri Lankan
• Mission
To popularize press freedom as a cultural element for national
development.

4. OBJECTIVES OF THE COUNCIL
• To protect press freedom of Sri Lanka and to protect the nature of
newspapers in Sri Lanka in conformity with the highest professional
standards.
• Safeguard the freedom of publishing true statements on facts as
news in newspapers and the freedom of publishing views based on
true statements on facts.
• To ensure that newspapers and journalists maintain high ethics of
journalism and make them aware of the rights and responsibilities of
citizens.
• Upgrading the means of recruitment, welfare, education and
training.

5. • Upgrading the means of interaction among all sections engaged in
newspaper publishing and production and generate common services
which are in need for supplying and circulating information from
time to time.
• Conducting researches on needs of newspapers and its usage,
reviewing the new tendencies of monopoly, stagnation of
newspapers in Sri Lanka and the restriction of information for
common good and suggesting remedial measures for the same.
• To provide guidance to the government on any matter related to
regularization and operating newspapers.

6. FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL
• The functions of the Council range from legal registration of
newspapers to examination of complaints lodged as a result of news
reports published in them.
• Raising awareness in journalists, reporters, apprentice journalists,
stake holders and school students on the development of journalism
and its contribution towards national development is also among the
functions of the Press Council.

7. 1. Examination of Complaints against Newspapers
2. If any person/ institution is disturbed or defamed by erroneous news
reports, photographs published in any newspaper in Sri Lanka, it could be
complained to the Sri Lanka Press Council. A Systematic investigation
will be conducted on the complaints and legal actions will be taken
accordingly.
3. Conducting Courses
4. Publication of Journals on Journalism and Communication study
5. Conducting Researches on Contemporary Issues
6. Proposed Research/ Research on Reading Newspapers 2011 ( Using
students)
7. Registration of Media Associations.

8. More about SPC..
• The Sri Lanka Press Council was operated under
1973 to 1977- Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
1977 to 1989-State Ministry
1989 to 1994-Ministry of Cultural and Information
1994 to 1997- Ministry of Mass Media, Tourism and Aviation
1997 to 1999-Ministry of Postal, Telecommunication and Mass Media
1999 to 2000-Ministry of Mass Media and Information
2000 to 2001-under the President.

9. Code of ethics for journalist
• (From The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, printed at the
Department of Government Printing, Sri Lanka, 14 October 1981).
01. These rules may be cited as the Press Council (Code of Ethics for
Journalists) Rules, 1981.
02. Every journalist shall
a. Use all reasonable means within his power to ascertain prior to
publication the veracity of the contents of any article written by him
for publication;
b. refrain from reporting or causing to be printed or published any
matter which he knows or has reason to believe to be false or
inaccurate;

10. c. refrain from distorting the truth by any act of commission or
willful omission;
d. take all possible steps to correct within the shortest possible
space of time any inaccuracy or incorrect information in any
report or article for the writing or publication of which he is
responsible; and
e. refrain from publishing or causing to be published any matter
which may offend public taste or morality or tend to lower the
standards of public taste or morality.

11. 03. Every journalist shall use all reasonable means at his command in
any report or article he writes or causes to be printed or published to
draw a clear distinction between any statement of fact on the one
hand and any expression of opinion or criticism on the other.
04. Every journalist shall observe secrecy regarding any source of
information unless the person who gave him such information
authorizes the disclosure of his identity.
05. Every journalist shall respect the reputation of an individual and
refrain from reporting or causing to be printed or published any
information or comment regarding an individual's private life unless
the publication of said matter is in the public interest as
distinguished from public curiosity.

12. 06.
(1) In reporting or causing to be printed or published accounts of
crimes or criminal cases, a journalist shall not
• name victims of sex crimes;
• name any young person accused of a criminal offense who to his
knowledge is below the age of eighteen and to his knowledge is a person
who has no previous convictions; or
• name any person as being a relative of a person accused or convicted of a
crime for the sole purpose of informing the reader of the relationship
between the person so named and the person charged, unless the public
interest would be served by the publication of the said matter.
(2) In reporting or causing to be printed or published accounts of
matrimonial causes or actions, a journalist shall refrain from
reporting or publishing any offensive details

13. 07. A journalist shall not commit plagiarism.
08. A journalist shall not present any matter in a manner designed to
promote sadism, violence or salacity.
09. A journalist shall not report or cause to be printed or published any
matter that is obscene unless the public interest is served by the
publication thereof.
10. A journalist shall not report or cause to be printed or published any
matter for the purpose of promoting communal or religious discord
or violence.
11. Every journalist shall safeguard the dignity of his profession. He
shall not accept any bribe in money, kind or service for any matter
connected with or incidental to his profession.

14. Code of Professional Practice (Code of Ethics) of The Editors
Guild of Sri Lanka adopted by the Press Complaints Commission
of Sri Lanka
Aims to ensure that the print medium in Sri Lanka is
free and responsible and sensitive to the needs and
expectations of its readers, while maintaining the
highest standards of journalism.
Binding on all Press institutions and journalists

15. Those standards require newspapers to strive for
accuracy and professional integrity, and to uphold the
best traditions of investigative journalism in the public
interest, unfettered by distorting commercialism or by
improper pressure or by narrow self interest which
conspires against press freedom.

16. Newspapers and journalists, while free to hold and
express their own strong opinions, should give due
consideration to the views of others and endeavour to
reflect social responsibility.
This code both protects the rights of the individual
and upholds the public’s right to know.

17. Editors should co-operate swiftly with the Press
Complaints Commission of Sri Lanka (PCCSL) in the
resolution of complaints.
Any publication judged to have breached the Code
must print the adjudication in full and with due
prominence, including a headline reference to the
PCCSL.

18. 02. ACCURATE REPORTING
2.1: The media must take all reasonable care to report news and
pictures accurately and without distortion.
2.2: Every reasonable attempt should be made by editors and
individual journalists to verify the accuracy of reports prior to
publication. Where such verification is not practicable, that fact shall be
stated in the report.

19. 2.3: Editors and their staff, including external contributors, shall not
publish material in such a way as to endorse any matter which they
know or have reason to believe to be false or inaccurate.
2.4: Publications are encouraged to engage in investigative
journalism in the public interest.

20. 03. CORRECTIONS and APOLOGIES
3.1: Where it is recognized by the editor that a report was
incorrect in a material respect, it should be corrected promptly
and with due prominence and with an apology where
appropriate, except where the correction or apology is against
the wishes of the aggrieved party.

21. 04. OPPORTUNITY TO REPLY
4.1: A fair and reasonable opportunity to reply should be given to
individuals or organizations in respect of factually incorrect
statements endangering their reputation, dignity, honour, feelings,
privacy and office. The reply should be confined to the complainant’s
version of the facts and no longer than necessary to correct the
alleged inaccuracy.
4.2: Newspapers or journalists who respond to a complainant’s reply
other than to apologize or regret the error, must then be prepared to
offer the aggrieved party a fresh opportunity to reply.

22. 05. CONFIDENTIAL SOURCES
5.1: Every journalist has a moral obligation to protect confidential
sources of information, until that source authorizes otherwise.
06. GENERAL REPORTING and WRITING
6.1: In dealing with social issues of a particularly shocking or
emotionally painful nature – such as atrocity, violence, drug abuse,
brutality, sadism, sexual salacity and obscenity – the press should take
special care to present facts, opinions, photographs and graphics with
due sensitivity and discretion, subject to its duty to publish in the
public interest.

23. 6.2: In reporting accounts of crime or criminal case, publications
shall not, unless it is both legally permitted and in the public interest
–
i. Name victims of sex crimes
ii. Knowingly name any young person accused of a criminal offence
who is below the age of 16 and who has no previous convictions
iii. Identify without consent relatives of a person accused or
convicted of a crime
6.3: A journalist shall not knowingly or willfully promote communal
or religious discord or violence.

24. 6.4: i. The press must avoid prejudicial or pejorative reference to a
person’s race, colour, religion, sex or to any physical or mental illness
or disability.
ii. It must avoid publishing details of a person’s race, caste, religion,
sexual orientation, physical or mental illness or disability unless these
are directly relevant to the story
6.5: i. Even where the law does not prohibit it, journalists must not
use for their own profit financial information they receive in advance
of its general publication, nor should they pass such information for
the profit of others.

25. ii. They must not write about shares or securities in whose
performance they know that they or their close families have a
significant financial interest, without disclosing the interest to the
publisher, editor or financial editor.
6.6: When reporting suicide, care should be taken not to give
excessive detail of the method used.

26. 07. PRIVACY
7.1: The press shall exercise particular care to respect the private and
family lives of individuals, their home, health and correspondence.
Intrusions on this right to privacy without consent could be justified
only by some over-riding public interest.
7.2: The use of long-lens or other cameras to photograph people
without consent on private or public property where there is a
reasonable expectation or privacy is unacceptable, unless in the public
interest.
7.3: Particular care should be taken to ensure that in cases involving
grief or shock, inquiries and approaches are handled with sensitivity
and discretion.

27. 7.4: Young people should be free to complete their school years
without unnecessary intrusion. Publication of material concerning a
child’s private life would be acceptable only if there was some
exceptional public interest other than the fame, notoriety or position
of his or her family or guardian.
7.5: The restrictions on intruding into privacy are particularly
relevant to inquiries about individuals in hospitals or similar
institutions, unless it serves the public interest.

28. 08. HARASSMENT and SUBTERFUGE
8.1: Journalists, including photo-journalists, must not seek to obtain
information or pictures through intimidation or harassment or by
misrepresentation or subterfuge. The use of long-lens cameras or
listening devices must also not be used unless this can be justified in
the public interest and the material could not have been obtained by
other means.
09. DIGNITY
9.1: Every journalist shall maintain the dignity of his or her profession.

29. INTERPRETATION
‘Public Interest’ means;
1: i. Protecting democracy, good governance, freedom of expression
and the fundamental rights of the people and of keeping them
informed about events that would have a direct or indirect bearing on
them, and that of their elected government, and detecting or exposing
crime, corruption, maladministration or a serious misdemeanor

30. ii. Protecting public health and security and social, cultural and
educational standards;
iii. Protecting the public from being misled by some statement or
action of an individual or organisation.
4 2: In any case where the public interest is involved, the Press
Complaints Commission will be entitled to require a full explanation
by the Editor and/or journalist demonstrating how the public interest
was served.

31. ONLINE PUBLICATIONS
The provisions of this Code will also apply to the Online publications
of the print media.

32. REVIEW
The Editor's Guild of Sri Lanka shall review the provisions of this
Code from time to time, in consultation with a Code Committee
comprising of members, and non-members appointed by The Guild.

33. The Code is supported by the following organizations:
• The Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka
• Free Media Movement
• Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association
• Sri Lanka Press Institute
• Sri Lanka College of Journalism
• Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance
• Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum
• Federation of Media Employees Trade Union
• South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) – Sri Lanka Chapter

34. CODE OF
ETHICS
SOCIETY OF PROFESIONAL
JOURNALIST

35. SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALIST
• Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that
public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation
of democracy.
• The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth
and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and
issues.
• Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist’s credibility.
Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and
adopt this code to declare the Society’s principles and standards of
practice.

36. • Founded: SPJ was founded in 1909 at Depauw
university I Greencastle, IND, as a journalistic
fraternity known as Sigma Delta Chi. In 1988, The
organizational officially changed its name to the
society of professional journalist.
• Membership: SPJ is a professional organization
that includes broadcast, print and online journalist,
journalism educators, and students interested in
journalism as a career.

37. • Society Of Professional Journalist divided
into four groups. They are,
1. Seek truth and report it.
2. Minimize harm
3. Act independently
4. Be accountable

38. 1. Seek truth and report it.
• Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering,
reporting and interpreting information.
• Journalist should,
 Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to
avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible.
 Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the
opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.
 Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much
information as possible on sources’ reliability.

39.  Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify
conditions attachedto any promise made in exchange for information. Keep
promises.
 Make certain that headlines, news teases andpromotional material, photos,
video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not
misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of
context.
 Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for
technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo
illustrations.
 Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information
except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the
public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story.
 Never plagiarize
 Give voice to voiceless. Official and unofficial information can be also valid.

40. 2. Minimize Harm
• Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues
as human beings deserving of respect.
• Journalist should,
 Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by
news coverage. Use special sensitivity when dealing with
children and inexperienced sources or subjects.
 Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of
those affected by tragedy or grief.
 Recognize that gathering and reporting information cause harm
or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance.

41.  Recognize that private people have a grater right to
control information about themselves than do public
officials and others who seek power, influence or attention.
Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into
anyone’s privacy.
Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.
Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims
of sex crimes.
Balance a criminal suspect’s fair trial rights with the
public’s right to be informed.

42. 3. Act Independently
• Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other
than the public’s right to know.
• Journalists should,
 Avoid conflicts of interest, real or imagined.
 Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or
damaged credibility.
 Refuse gifts, favors, fees, travel, and special treatment and shun secondary
employment, political involvement, public office and service in community
organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.

43.  Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special
interest and resist their pressure to influence new
coverage.
Be wary of sources offering information for favors or
money, avoid bidding for news.

44. 4. Be Accountable
• Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners,
viewers and each other.
• The SPJ that include “encourage the public to express its
grievances against the news media, admitting mistake and
correcting them promptly, exposing unethical practices of
journalist and the news media, and abiding by the same
high standards to which they hold others.”
• Resolution 1003, 1993 on the ethics of journalism by the
parliamentary Assembly council of Europe mentions
that “ media have and ethical responsibility towards
citizens and society.”

45. • Journalists should,
Clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue
with the public over journalistic conduct.
Encourage the public to voice grievance against the news
media.
Admit mistakes and correct them promptly.
Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news
media.
Abide by the same high standards to which they hold
others.