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30 Examples of Media Responsibility

John Spacey, updated on April 17, 2024

Media responsibility is the level of care and diligence that can be expected of those who publish to an audience. This includes diligence such as fact-checking and clearly separating opinion from fact. Media responsibility also considers the real world impact of media such as the damage that could occur from publishing unconfirmed claims. The following are common examples of media responsibility.

Fact-checking	Verifying sources
Correcting errors	Not spreading false information and rumors
Providing context	Avoiding plagiarism
Accurate headlines	Distinguishing between news and opinion
Disclosing conflicts of interest	Disclosing ownership and funding
Challenging assumptions	Avoiding bias
Giving individuals the right to reply	Balanced reporting
Objectivity	Avoiding sensationalism
Respecting privacy	Avoiding profiling or stereotyping
Not dumbing down complex issues	Accepting feedback
Publishing editorial guidelines	Setting high ethical standards for reporting
Covering important topics	Covering diverse topics
Not overfocusing on a small set of issues	Respectful treatment of sensitive topics
Respectful treatment of people	Not jumping to conclusions
Accepting accountability	Referring to authoritative sources

Media responsibility is proportional to the size of your audience, the seriousness of your content and standards of your industry. For example, a news agency covering an international conflict has far more responsibility than a podcaster talking about their day.

Summary

Media responsibility is the level of diligence, objectivity, transparency and fairness that can be expected of a media institution, organization, representative or personality.