Journalistic Code of Ethics
Freedom of opinion, expression, and the press are human rights protected by Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations. Freedom of the press is a means for society to obtain information and communicate, in order to fulfill basic needs and improve the quality of human life.
In realizing this freedom, Indonesian journalists also recognize the importance of national interests, social responsibility, cultural diversity, and religious values.
In carrying out their functions, rights, obligations, and roles, the press respects the human rights of every individual. Therefore, the press is required to be professional and open to public scrutiny.
To guarantee press freedom and fulfill the public’s right to accurate information, Indonesian journalists need moral foundations and professional ethics as operational guidelines to maintain public trust, integrity, and professionalism. Based on this, Indonesian journalists establish and adhere to the following Journalistic Code of Ethics:
Article 1
Indonesian journalists act independently, producing accurate, balanced news, and free of malicious intent.
Interpretation:
a. Independent means reporting facts according to conscience, free from interference, coercion, or
intervention from other parties, including media owners.
b. Accurate means trustworthy and in accordance with the objective reality when the event
occurred.
c. Balanced means all parties are given equal opportunity.
d. Free of malicious intent means there is no deliberate intention to cause harm to others
Article 2
Indonesian journalists employ professional methods in carrying out journalistic duties.
Interpretation: Professional methods include:
a. Identifying themselves to sources;
b. Respecting privacy rights;
c. Not offering or accepting bribes;
d. Producing factual news with clear sources;
e. Ensuring that edited or staged photos, videos, or audio are accompanied by proper attribution and presented in a balanced manner;
f. Respecting traumatic experiences of sources when presenting images, photos, or audio;
g. Avoiding plagiarism, including claiming another journalist’s work as their own;
h. Using special methods may be considered for investigative reporting in the public interest.
Article 3
Indonesian journalists always verify information, report in a balanced manner, do not mix facts with judgmental opinions, and uphold the presumption of innocence.
Interpretation:
a. Verifying information means conducting check and recheck.
b. Balanced means giving proportional space and time to all parties.
c. Judgmental opinion refers to personal views of the journalist, different from interpretative opinion which is based on fact analysis.
d. Presumption of innocence means not declaring someone guilty without legal process.
Article 4
Indonesian journalists do not produce false news, slander, cruelty, or obscenity.
Interpretation:
a. False means knowingly reporting information contrary to facts.
b. Slander means unfounded accusations with malicious intent.
c. Cruel means reporting in a brutal or merciless way.
d. Obscene means presenting erotic behavior solely to arouse lust.
e. Archived visuals or audio must include the time of recording.
Article 5
Indonesian journalists do not disclose or broadcast the identity of victims of sexual crimes, nor the identity of minors involved in criminal acts.
Interpretation:
a. Identity includes all data and information that allows tracing of an individual.
b. A minor is a person under 16 years old and unmarried.
Article 6
Indonesian journalists do not misuse their profession and do not accept bribes.
Interpretation:
a. Misuse of profession means exploiting privileged information for personal gain before it becomes public knowledge.
b. Bribes include money, goods, or facilities that compromise independence.
Article 7
Indonesian journalists uphold the right to withhold information (right of refusal) to protect sources unwilling to disclose their identity or whereabouts, respect embargo agreements, background information, and off-the-record provisions.
Interpretation:
a. Right of refusal is the right not to reveal a source’s identity or location for their safety.
b. Embargo is a delay in publication or broadcast at the request of the source.
c. Background information means data provided by a source without attribution.
d. Off the record means information from a source that may not be published.
Article 8
Indonesian journalists do not report news based on prejudice or discrimination against individuals on the grounds of ethnicity, race, skin color, religion, gender, or language, and do not demean the dignity of the poor, sick, mentally or physically disabled.
Article 9
Indonesian journalists respect the privacy of sources, except when public interest is at stake.
Interpretation:
a. Respecting means exercising restraint and caution.
b. Privacy refers to aspects of one’s personal and family life unrelated to public interest.
Article 10
Indonesian journalists promptly retract, correct, and rectify inaccurate news accompanied by an apology to readers, listeners, or viewers.
Interpretation:
a. Promptly means as soon as possible, regardless of external complaints.
b. An apology is issued when errors involve substantive matters.
Article 11
Indonesian journalists serve the right of reply and right of correction proportionally.
Interpretation:
a. Right of reply is the right of individuals or groups to respond or refute damaging coverage.
b. Right of correction is the right of anyone to correct inaccurate information published by the press.
c. Proportional means equal in size or duration to the coverage that requires correction.
The final judgment of violations of the Journalistic Code of Ethics is made by the Press Council. Sanctions for violations are enforced by journalist organizations and/or media companies.
Jakarta, Tuesday, March 14, 2006
(The Journalistic Code of Ethics was enacted by the Press Council through Regulation No.6/Peraturan-DP/V/2008 concerning the ratification of Press Council Decree No. 03/SK-DP/III/2006 on the Journalistic Code of Ethics as a Press Council Regulation.