Macau Daily Times Charter of Ethics
Journalists who work for The Macau Daily Times:
- Have the duty to maintain the highest professional and ethical standards.
- Shall at all times defend the principle of freedom of press and other media in the collection of information and the expression of comment and criticism. They shall strive to eliminate distortion, news suppression and censorship.
- Shall strive to ensure that comment and conjecture are not presented as fact. They shall ensure that what they write is fair and accurate and not falsified by distortion, selection or misrepresentation.
- Shall rectify promptly any harmful inaccuracies, ensuring that correction and apologies receive due prominence. They shall afford the right of reply to people criticised on issues of major importance.
- Shall obtain information, photographs and illustrations only by straightforward and honest means. The use of other means can be justified only by the over-riding consideration of the public interest. The journalist is entitled to exercise a personal conscientious objection to the use of such means.
- Shall do nothing to intrude into private grief and distress, except when outweighed by substantial public interest.
- Shall protect confidential sources of information.
- Shall not allow personal interest, or any belief, commitment, payment, gift or benefit, to undermine accuracy, fairness or independence.
- Shall not lend himself/herself to the distortion or suppression of the truth because of advertising or other considerations.
- Shall not place unnecessary emphasis on personal characteristics, including race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, sexual orientation, family relationships, religious belief, or physical or intellectual disability.
- Shall not take private advantage of information gained in the course of their duties, before that information is public knowledge.
- Shall identify themselves and their employer before obtaining any interview for publication.
- Shall not plagiarise.