These standards stipulate as follows regarding media practitioners,
1. They must take reasonable steps to ensure that they disseminate accurate and balanced information, and that their comments upon vents are genuine and honest
2. They must never publish information that they know to be false or maliciously make unfounded allegations about others that are intended to harm their reputation.
The Code of Ethics goes further on the question of accuracy and states;
1. When compiling reports, media practitioners must check their facts properly, and the editors and publishers of newspapers and other media must take proper care not to publish inaccurate material. Before a media institution publishes a report, the reporter and the editor must ensure that all reasonable steps have been taken to check its accuracy. The facts should not be distorted by reporting them out of the context in which they occurred.
2. Special care must be taken to check stories that may cause harm to individuals, organizations or the public interest. Before publishing a story of alleged wrongdoing, all reasonable steps must be taken to ascertain and include the response from the individual or organization.
