Respect
Everyone affected by our journalism deserves to be treated with decency and compassion. We are civil in our actions and words, avoiding arrogance and hubris. We listen to others. When we ask tough questions, we do so to seek answers — not confrontations. We are sensitive to differences in attitudes and culture. We minimize undue harm and take special care with those who are vulnerable or suffering. And with all subjects of our coverage, we are mindful of their privacy as we fulfill our journalistic obligations.
Respect for sources and subjects of coverage
We strive to live up to Roger Ebert's praise – to be "an oasis of clear-headed intelligence" amidst a "world of uproar." That doesn't mean we paper over unpleasantness or shy away from difficult questions. It means we favor clarity over bombast. It means we pursue the truth with decency rather than ruthlessness, and humanity rather than indifference.
The general public is the most important stakeholder in our work, but everyone we cover is also an important stakeholder. We practice ethical journalism by doing our best to minimize harm as we report information in the public interest.
Guideline: Strike a civil tone in all your journalistic interactions.
(Editor's note on July 27, 2017: Click here to go to an updated special section about the do's and don't's of social media.)
We are NPR. Reporters and producers in the field, bookers lining up interviews, engineers in the studios adjusting microphones, bloggers interacting with the NPR audience on the Web, librarians doing research and hosts engaging with interview subjects over the phone — we are all representing NPR. And when we interact with people, we are courteous and sensitive to their feelings. We don't take "no" for an answer when public officials are avoiding answering our questions. But even in our doggedness, we are polite and do not respond in kind to those who are less than courteous to us.
Everywhere I go, as much as I can, I listen to National Public Radio. It's an oasis of clear-headed intelligence. Carefully, patiently, it presents programming designed to make me feel just a little better equipped to reenter the world of uproar.
Guideline: Take special caution with those who are less media-savvy.
We make sure our guests and interview subjects know what we want to talk with them about. But we are especially careful with those who have not been interviewed many times by many media outlets. While a U.S. senator, for example, can be expected to be comfortable in front of microphones and cameras, and to be "ready to go" relatively quickly, a homeowner from Chicago deserves a few extra minutes of our time before the tape starts rolling.
Guideline: Be considerate of community norms.
(Editor's note on July 27, 2017: Click here to go to an updated special section about the do's and don't's of social media.)
Realize that different communities – online and offline – have their own culture, etiquette, and norms, and be respectful of them. Our ethics don't change in different circumstances, but our decisions might.
The foundation of respect in reporting on any community is awareness. Strive to be knowledgeable about the culture, and be attuned to gaps in your understanding. Often your colleagues can be a terrific resource to help you get up to speed on unfamiliar settings.
Consider as well how your conduct in a community will affect your reporting. As you adjust behaviors such as language and dress in different situations, think about what might be most helpful or harmful to effective reporting.
Also, appreciate that journalism can be an intrusive act, and conduct yourself as a decent guest of the community where you're reporting. If the customary etiquette is to remove your shoes upon entering a building, for example, it's appropriate to oblige.
And of course, factor in your own security. In unstable situations, for example, journalists can be targets of violence. At such times, the most appropriate consideration may merely be blending in. As always, we rely on your good judgment.
Guideline: Respect NPR's copyright.
(Editor's note on July 27, 2017: Click here to go to an updated special section about the do's and don't's of social media.)
While we strongly encourage linking to NPR.org, you may not repost NPR copyrighted material to social networks without prior permission. For example, it is o.k. to link from your blog or Facebook profile to a story of yours on the NPR site, but you should not copy the full text or audio onto a personal site or Web page. You may accomplish this through the NPR API or widgets that NPR provides to the public. Assume the terms of use that apply to the public also apply to your usage in these situations.
Respect in sensitive circumstances
NPR journalists show sensitivity when seeking or using interviews of those affected by tragedy or grief. That's especially true when we're dealing with children, anyone who is nervous about being interviewed, individuals who have difficulty understanding us because of language differences, and those who might be putting themselves in danger by speaking to us. If interviewing a witness to a crime, we must weigh carefully whether we are exposing the source to physical risk by identifying him or her by name as a potential witness, and whether there is potential for the individual to be accused as a participant.
"Sometimes when you're talking with people living under coercive or oppressive governments, you know that they're putting themselves at risk," says Scott Simon. We consider it our duty to make sure they are aware of the potential ramifications. And even if they are fully informed and willing to go on the record, we may determine it's still best not to reveal their names on the air or online.
Guideline: Take special care with minors.
Be sure to consider legal issues when dealing with minors (generally defined as anyone under the age of 18). An interview of a minor about a sensitive subject requires us to secure permission from at least one of the minor's parents (preferably both) or a legal guardian. Examples of sensitive subjects include cheating, sexual activity, involvement in gangs or crime, difficult family relationships, probation violation, pregnancy or parenthood, victims' sexual abuse and similar topics that could have legal ramifications or lead to embarrassment. An interview of a minor in a special custodial situation, such as foster care, juvenile detention, or holding facilities for illegal immigrants, requires the consent of the person who has custody of the minor. Utah also requires the consent of both the custodian of the juvenile facility and the minor's parent.
An interview on a non-sensitive topic (normal childhood activities, sports, book, movies, trips to the zoo, baseball and the like) does not require consent. Generally however, any interview on school premises will require the permission of the school authorities.
In cases where there is even a hint of doubt about whether to get consent, contact our legal team (look for LegalAlert in the NPR internal email address book).
Guideline: Reporting in distressing situations.
Situations like school shootings require special care when interviewing visibly distressed people who may have witnessed horrific scenes. Witnesses such as teachers or students over 18 are preferable interviewees. If continued interviewing substantially increases the distress of a minor who is a witness, carefully balance the importance and quality of the information being obtained with the interviewee's emotional state and decide whether respect for the witness requires the interview to be ended. Also, discuss with your editor whether that interview should be aired.
Guideline: We don't name individuals who have allegedly suffered sexual assaults.
NPR does not name individuals who are the alleged victims of sexual assaults. There are exceptions at times – such as certain instances when such an individual goes public with his/her identity – and NPR editors will judge these instances on a case-by-case basis.
Respect for our audience
Guideline: Using potentially offensive language.
There is a lengthy document (updated in January 2014) that lays out NPR's policy on use of offensive language posted online. It is radio-centered, but the same rules apply to what we post on NPR.org.
The policy statement begins with this:
"As a responsible broadcaster, NPR has always set a high bar on use of language that may be offensive to our audience. Use of such language on the air has been strictly limited to situations where it is absolutely integral to the meaning and spirit of the story being told."
"We follow these practices out of respect for the listener," the policy continues, and because in the post-Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" world, federal regulators "have taken a much more aggressive line on what they regard as indecent or profane content." The 2010 decision by a federal appeals court that invalidated the FCC's indecency policy has not prompted NPR to change its position.
That said, "there are rare instances where we will permit use of profane or indecent languages for news or programmatic reasons. Such an instance is when the use of such language is so vital to the essence of the story that to excise or bleep it would be to distort it or blunt its power and meaning."
An example (fair warning ... you're about to see an expletive): While traveling with U.S. Army forces in Iraq, NPR's Eric Westervelt was on the scene when the unit came under fire. At one point in his tape, an American soldier could be heard telling another man to "get the fuck under the truck."
The NPR policy states that in this case "the use of profanity ... is editorially justifiable" because it meets the test of being "vital to the essence of the story" and cutting it out or bleeping the word would alter the power and meaning of the report.
As required by NPR's policy, "the piece was preceded by a language advisory in the intro read by the host, in addition to the DACS notices in advance to stations. NPR policy is to do both in all such instances for both legal and editorial reasons."
Online, if sound or text containing potentially offensive language has been approved for use by a Deputy Managing Editor or someone above that level, it too must be preceded by text (and in the case of audio, a verbal warning as well) advising the NPR.org audience that what follows contains language some may find offensive. When used in a blog, in most cases the warning should come before a "jump" to a second page. It should require a second "click" to get to the offensive material.
If used online, audio or video containing offensive material should never play automatically. To view or hear it, the user must choose to click "play."
Note: Discussions about whether to use such material must happen well before broadcast or posting.
If potentially offensive language is being considered for broadcast, senior editors (typically, the Deputy Managing Editors or Standards & Practices editor) must be consulted with enough lead time to allow for a substantive discussion and enough lead time to give the General Counsel time to provide guidance. If time for discussion is running short, the language must be cut from the report or "bleeped."
Guideline: Guidance On The Use Of 'Disturbing' Videos And Audio
Videos and audio clips of someone being shot, a disaster victim crying for help, bodies being recovered and other potentially disturbing scenes present us with challenges.
When weighing whether to post such videos online and to use any clips on the air, keep in mind that:
– Conversations are required. The senior news manager on duty (a DME or the designated supervisor) must be consulted. The Visuals team should be pulled in. Other senior editors may be as well.
– The conversations start from this position: We report the news, good and bad.
– But we can't be callous. The video may show someone's death. Out of respect for that person and that person's family, we consider carefully what should be shown or heard. Our general rule is that we do not post video or play audio of someone's moment of death. There will be exceptions, but only after discussion.
– We also respect our audience. They want the facts. But for many, reading or hearing descriptions will be more than enough. Seeing or hearing disturbing events could leave them too shaken to follow the rest of a story.
– "Every other news outlet else is using it" is not on its own a justification for posting or broadcasting anything.
– Especially in the first minutes and hours after such content surfaces, its credibility may be in doubt. Proceed with caution.
– The content may be propaganda. For example, extremist groups spread their messages and try to spread terror by putting out videos of hostages being murdered. We do not blindly post or air propaganda. It would be highly unusual for us to even link to it.
Rigid rules about what to do won't work. Each situation is different. However:
– If it's decided that videos with potentially disturbing content can be posted, they should never start automatically when a webpage loads. They must require a "click" to begin. They must either have a warning note embedded in them or it must appear directly above them.
– Likewise, on the air listeners should never hear potentially disturbing content without first being told that it's coming. For instance, cellphone audio of gunshots that kill a man should not be heard until after a caution has been given.
– We should consider whether a video's disturbing moments and sounds can and should be blurred and bleeped, for posting online and using on the air.
– If the original content is too disturbing to post and we do not have a blurred/bleeped version that we are comfortable using, we may decide to link to another news outlet's edited version if it is in line with our standards. We should caution readers that it includes potentially disturbing content. The language should be simple and clear. For example: "The Daily Planet has posted a clip from the video here. Reminder: It is graphic."
– When a member station is chasing the same story, we should talk with the news director about how to handle the content. Often, we'll be in agreement and can link to the station's coverage.
But, But, But:
– Does this mean we'll never put such content online or on the air?
No. See above: "We report the news, good and bad." We would not have edited a video of the Challenger explosion, for example, to blur the key moments.
– Are we treating the audience like children?
Some will say we are. We believe we're making editorial judgments.
Note: The guidance above applies to images as well. We do not post potentially disturbing photos without first discussing.
(This post was added on Aug. 11, 2015. It was also posted as a "Memmo.")
Note: These guidelines apply to acquired programs as well.
"In the case of programs under the ultimate direction of the Vice President for Programming, including all acquired programs, producers shall consult NPR's Vice President for Programming or the VP's designee as soon as possible, but in any event before the program is delivered to NPR for distribution to stations."