When one is not enough. Professional Perception of Traditional Ethical Mechanisms for New Times in Journalism

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyse the perception of Spanish journalists in relation to the greater or lesser effectiveness of traditional self regulation mechanisms in comparison to new mechanisms that have recently emerged with the arrival of digital technologies. Results from surveys (n=420), in-depth interviews (n=30) and focus groups (n=6) confirm the acceptance of these mechanisms whose greatest impact requires the operation of all of them as a “system”, because considered individually, none are as effective in securing more ethical behavior in the company which decides to use them. The instrument that receives the highest score (7.5) is the public pressure through social networks. The concept of a seal of ethical quality has been valued in line with the existing mechanisms. In any case, it seems that neither the seal nor the rest of the analyzed instruments may ever replace the personal ethics of the journalist that appears as the bedrock of the strata that determines ethics in journalistic outlets.