When JoNel Aleccia found herself cold calling people whose relatives recently died by suicide, she wasn’t sure what the right protocol was. 

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    “You need to tell these humans stories to make your reporting resonate so that other people in the world know what a huge problem it actually is while being really sensitive to the families.” 

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    Aleccia says it was decades worth of experience, as well as a comprehensive ethics code, that helped her tackle an assignment unlike one she had ever had. A senior correspondent at Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit news service based in Washington, D.C., Aleccia is used to journalism ethics codes. Prior to KHN, Aleccia wrote for The Seattle Times and NBC News. 

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    She says that in general, ethics codes should provide insight on how to navigate tricky situations.

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    “As journalists, we give up some of the privileges of living in our society in order to be able to do our jobs,” says Aleccia. “There are issues that can come up that can be confusing, and some people might think that they should be able to do something in their personal life that would then reflect badly on them or the news organization in a professional context.”

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     One of these issues, Aleccia says, is bias.

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    “One of the new conversations is about journalists having a point of view in their reporting, and whether it’s okay to start with that vantage, or whether we should have that kind of objective stance.”

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    Aleccia continued, saying she believes it’s her job to report objectively in all cases, a belief she says KHN shares. 

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    KHN has been covering health care policy and politics for more than 10 years and in recent months, has reported on the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination updates. KHN is based digitally, and its stories can be found on their website and social media platforms. News organizations such as The New York Times frequently publish KHN articles as well. 

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    KHN’s ethics code emphasizes fairness, citing a goal to be “non-ideological.” Reporters are encouraged to seek all perspectives, even highly disputed ones. In the age of widespread misinformation, how do KHN reporters accomplish this, without giving baseless theories credence? Aleccia says it’s a fine balance.

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    “There’s an infamous anti-vaccine person who I have talked to over a number of years about vaccine issues. I’m going to nod to what she says on her Facebook page about it, but I’m not going to detail all the reasons she says healthcare workers shouldn’t get the (COVID-19) vaccine.”

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    Aleccia continued, saying that when covering issues that directly affect people, such as vaccinations and health care policies, it is vital that accurate information is being provided. KHN’s ethics code states that precision is imperative, and any language that is vague or misleading is or should be avoided, particularly in data stories. Stories are not released prior to publication, nor is editing quotes permitted. 

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    Although KHN’s ethics code is similar to other news publications’, there is a particular emphasis on sources, specifically when it comes to granting anonymity. The ethics code says that despite operating in places where anonymity is “casually granted,” KHN aims to use such methods as a last option. 

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    “If there is any reason at all to use an anonymous source, it has to be vetted here a lot more than other places I’ve worked,” says Aleccia.

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     According to KHN, when a source is granted anonymity, any possible biases will be disclosed. Sources are never paid, and if sources were found to be using their anonymity to spread disinformation, KHN would end their agreement. 

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    Similarly, conflicts of interest are strictly avoided. KHN’s ethics code specifically addresses financial investments, where it says employees are prohibited from covering stories for their own financial gain. Furthermore, KHN may restrict a reporter from covering a story if their family or friends’ actions may create a perceived bias, although KHN recognizes it cannot restrict the activities of those who do not work at the company. 

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    When it comes to social media, KHN utilizes The New York Times’ ethics code to help their reporters navigate different issues. Assistant Social Media Manager Tarena Lofton runs KHN’s social media platforms, and says her day-to-day consists of formulating announcements to supplement recently published articles.

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    Despite having an ethics code to help her, Lofton says it’s still challenging to deal with the internet trolls that attack KHN’s Twitter. KHN strictly prohibits responding to insults or replying to any comments with an angry or petty tone. This ideology is extended to the physical newsroom, where reporters are urged to behave with dignity and professionalism.

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    “This one story, people didn’t like the headline so there was so much backlash,” says Lofton. “I can’t really respond to that or else it opens me up to potential conflicts with my career. People don’t realize that someone has to read all the nasty things they’re putting out.”

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    This dedication to objectivity doesn’t end at her operation of professional Twitter accounts; Lofton says she chooses to be impartial on her personal social media platforms as well. Lofton says this has been particularly difficult in the current climate, where social justice issues have been at the forefront of news and politics.

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    “It’s hard when I’m not able to express that on social media, but the way I look at it is that the work that we do for journalism is an extension of being able to express what people need to know and the important information.”

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    In addition, any photos, graphics or videos that may supplement a social media post are subject to the same objectivity. KHN’s ethics code prohibits altering images in any way that may misrepresent the visual information.

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    When it comes to gifts, KHN’s ethics code encourages reporters to decline in all cases where doing so wouldn’t be offensive. Any meals or travel expenses are reimbursed by the company. Similarly to reporters being prohibited from accepting gifts, they are not permitted to give any to those with an interest in news coverage.

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    As the scope of journalism expands, as well as the pushback against it, Aleccia says it’s important to remember that there are still ethical standards in journalism, and for most journalists, they are the foundation of their profession. 

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    “We’ve always had standards, so that everyone is on the same page when it comes to how we’re going to conduct ourselves as human beings in the world, as well as journalists,” says Aleccia. “These ethics codes, they are the guidelines for really, everything.”