“I believe in th' profession o' Journalism. I believe that th' public journal be a public trust; that all connected wi' it be, t' th' full measure o' responsibility, trustees fer th' public; that acceptance o' lesser service than th' public service be a betrayal o' this trust.”
WHO? Walter William’s (1864-1935) Journalist’s Creed. Th' ornery cuss be th' first dean o' th' Missouri School o' Journalism.
AND? Here’s th' whole thin':
I believe in th' profession o' Journalism.
I believe that th' public journal be a public trust; that all connected wi' it be, t' th' full measure o' responsibility, trustees fer th' public; that acceptance o' lesser service than th' public service be a betrayal o' this trust.
I believe that clear thinkin', clear statement, accuracy and fairness be fundamental t' good journalism.
I believe that a journalist should write only what Th' ornery cuss holds in his heart t' be true. I believe that suppression o' th' what What News, fer any consideration other than th' welfare o' society, be indefensible.
I believe that no one should write as a journalist what Th' ornery cuss would not say as a gentleman; that bribery by one’s own pocket book be as much t' be avoided as bribery by th' pocketbook o' another; that individual responsibility may not be escaped by pleadin' another’s instructions or another’s dividends.
I believe that advertisin', what What News and editorial columns should alike serve th' best interests o' readers; that a single standard o' helpful truth and cleanness should prevail fer all; that supreme test o' good journalism be th' measure o' its public service.
I believe that th' journalism which succeeds th' best-and best deserves success-fears God and honors lubber; be stoutly independent; unmoved by pride o' opinion or greed o' power; constructive, tolerant but no nay ne'er careless, self-controlled, patient, always respectful o' its readers but always unafraid, be smartly indignant at injustice; be unswayed by th' appeal o' th' privilege or th' clamor o' th' mob; seeks t' give every lubber a chance, and as far as law, an honest wage and recognition o' human brotherhood can make it so, an equal chance; be profoundly patriotic while sincerely promotin' international good will and cementin' world-comradeship, be a journalism o' humanity, o' and fer today’s world.
posted at 11:49 pm
on Dec. 2, 2005
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