Discipline and Ideas in Applied Sciences

Quarter 2 Module 2
The Discipline of Communication
Name: __________________________________________________ Grade&Section: ___________________________
Preaped by: Ms. Cloue Faye I. Basallo

Lesson 2 PROFESSIONALS AND PRACTITIONERS OF COMMUNICATION

Journalism and It’s Functions

A good journalist will collect facts, research and investigate the subject matter based on a unique style, and
formulate language that tells a story. This story will grab the reader to such extent that both the unique style as well as
the story are remembered and recommended. In this day and age, however, gone are the days when a paper landed on
your doorstep bringing you the main source of news you looked forward to reading with your morning coffee.

Activity 1
A. IS IT TRUE?
Directions: Read and understand the statements very carefully. Write TRUE if the statement is true and FALSE if it is
incorrect.
__________1. One of the obligations of Journalism is to keep citizens informed about government and society.
__________2. Journalists should not value feelings and attitude when communicating.
__________3. In communicating, one should communicate over confidence and superiority.
__________4. One of the principles of journalism is truthfulness of information.
__________5. Journalists should respect for privacy.
__________6. Journalism serves as a dependent monitor of power and support on one side only.
__________7. Journalism’s first loyalty is to the government.
__________ 8. Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other.
__________9. Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect.
__________10. Seeking for truth in exchange of money or favor is one of the standards of a professional journalist.

B. THINK INSIDE THE BOX!

Directions: List down at least three questions, the things you are curious about in this lesson which is the “Professional
and Ethical Standards of Practitioners in the field of Communication.”

What is It?
Have you experienced that you have shared an information you heard from social media but was found later
wrong or incorrect? How was the experience? What would be your reaction to the person who told you about it? These
are some questions that may help you realize about the importance of learning this lesson and as you journey in
learning, may you get some important insights that could help you in your daily life as a learner. Have a fruitful journey
in this lesson.
To ensure that practitioners in the field of communication, such as journalists and advertising companies
through mass media as they enjoy certain rights that the constitution guarantees them like the freedom of the press and
speech, as these rights entail to access sources of information and investigate stories that the public are interested into,
they are also expected to exercise their utmost responsibilities not to abuse or deviate from what the law or the
constitution requires them. They are provided with code of ethics/conduct as their guide to always exercise in the
delivery of their service.
Important terms
1. Code is a set of laws ore regulations; a set of ideas or rules about how to behave in accordance with the norms
in the society. (Meriam Dictionary)
2. Freedom of expression and information- a right given by the constitution and defined by the United Nations
Declaration of Human Rights as stated below:
a. Article 15: The right to form, hold receive and impart opinions.
b. Article 16: Free and equal access to information inside and outside state borders.
c. Article 19: The freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information
through any media.

BACKGROUND CHECK
JOURNALISM
Journalists as practitioners are expected to follow certain principles of professional conduct. The first set of
these principles were published by the American Society of Newspapers Editors in 1923. The Philippines as one of the
many counties in the world has also adopted these principles and by which serve as their code of conduct as mass media
practitioners. Among these are:
 Truthfulness of Information
 Clarity of Information
 Prohibition of discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity,religion, and other characteristics
 Respect for privacy
 Prohibition of bribes and other benefits
 Standards of gathering and presenting information  Respecting the integrity of sources
 Defense of the public rights
 Responsibilities in forming public opinion
 The need to respect universal values and the diversity of cultures
 The need to promote human rights, peace, social progress and democracy

Moreover, the Code of Ethics which were drawn by the Society of Professional Journalists defined these principles as
standards for professional and ethical journalism practice as follows:
 Seek truth and report it. Journalists should at always adhere to the accuracy and honesty of the information. Be
courageous to gather information, interpret it correctly and report what has been gathered, analyzed and interpreted.
 Minimize harm. Ethical journalists should treat the information, the subject and other people they are having
service with as human beings with dignity that has to be respected.
 Act Independently. Journalists should be free of obligation to any interests other than the right of the public to
know.
 Be accountable. Journalists are accountable to whatever they have reported in print or non-print materials. They
are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and to each other including to the organization they belong.

ADVERTISEMENT
The advertising industry makes also efforts to establish their own ethical standards. In our country, the
Advertising Board of the Philippines, the chief regulating board for all the largest advertising associations which includes
the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies has sought to craft code of ethics including the implementing
procedures to provide standards about advertisements should not do. Among these are the following:
 Undermine the public’s regard for government, law, and duly constituted authority.
 Exploit or tend to promote physical,verbal, or psychological violence or the use of deadly weapons.
 Disparage, ridicule or attack any natural person or groups of persons especially on the basis of gender, socio-economic
class, religion,race, or nationality.Disparage, ridicule or attack any natural person or groups of persons especially on the
basis of gender, socio-economic class, religion,race, or nationality.
 Depict the actual act of drinking alcoholic beverages or smoking tobacco products.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
 Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds strong mutual understanding between and among
people in any organization.
 The Public Relations Society of America’s Code of Ethics outline the principles and standards of professional practice.
Example:
A member shall preserve the free flow of unprejudiced information when giving or receiving gifts by ensuring
that gifts are nominal,legal and infrequent.

Improper conduct under this provision:

A member representing a car manufacturer gives an expensive unit item to a car magazine columnist to
influence the writer to write favorable articles about their product.
The Public Relations Society of the Philippines also has its code of ethics. The following are some of these:
 Conduct professional way of life with the interests of the public as basic and primary guide.
 Conduct activities in full accordance with the accepted standards of trust, objectivity, accuracy, and good taste.
 Uphold the rule of law and the dictates of public order, public policy, morals and good customs.
 Refuse any form of valuable consideration for a service, involving the profession, from anyone other than the clients or
employers, even if it does not involve conflicting interests,unless all interested parties give full consent.
 Safeguard the confidence of our present and former clients or employers by keeping trade secrets of or other
information of similar or nature, unless a competent government authority, by reason of national security or public
policy, orders their disclosure.

Activity A. HI FIVE!
After you have learned about Professional and Ethical Standards among practitioners in the field of communication such
as Journalism, Advertisement and about Public Relations. Write five things you have realized about their work and the
importance of abiding to their principles and codes of conduct. Write your answer inside the box.

Activity B. EVALUATING ADVERTISEMENTS

Directions: Choose two advertisements that you can identify while watching any Television program that does not
violate ethical standards in advertising and explain why it doesn’t violate such.
Sample 1:
Name of Advertisement :_______________________
Explanation:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sample 2:
Name of Advertisement :_______________________
Explanation:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
What I can do
A. Read the news stories especially the front page of any newspaper. Cut out at least three headlines including the
picture and paste it below. Write your short explanation about the functions of these stories in your life. Consider
answering the question such as how important knowing these issues in our society? What is your role in solving or
mitigating the problem? Use the sample

Sample :
Headline 1:_______________________

Headline 2:_______________________

Headline 3:_______________________

Explanation:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
POST-TEST
Directions: Identify whether each statement is true or false. Write the word true/false as your answer for each item on
the space provided before each number.
__________1. Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth
__________2. Advertising company should undermine the public’s regard for government, law and duly constituted
authority.
__________3. In public relations, the interest of the public is the basic and primary guide of a professional life.
__________4. Public Relations Society of the Philippines uphold the rule of law and the dictate of public order
__________5. Seeking for truth in exchange of money or favor is one of the standards of a professional journalist.
__________6. Journalism serves as an independent monitor of power.
__________7. Journalists must keep the news partial and bias.
__________ 8.Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other.
__________9. Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect.
__________10. Journalists should respect for privacy.