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Where do you get your news and to what standards do these sources aspire?

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Star Herald Editorial

Every year in October we observe National Newspaper Week during which time newspapers all over the nation remind their readers why local newspapers are important.
In an age where we have instant access to so much online information, there’s little reason to be uninformed about the world around us.
And that’s a good thing.
But without careful consideration of sources and motivation behind messages, it’s also easy to be misinformed on important matters that affect us.
In honor of Newspaper Week, which was earlier this month, we’re reprinting “The Journalists Creed,” a code of ethics written around 1906 by Walter Williams shortly after founding the Missouri School of Journalism.
We’d ask our readers to consider these words and to consider whether other sources of information (social media or bloggers) aspire to such standards:
 
The creed
I believe in the profession of Journalism.
I believe that the public journal is a public trust; that all connected with it are, to the full measure of responsibility, trustees for the public; that all acceptance of lesser service than the public service is a betrayal of this trust.
I believe that clear thinking, clear statement, accuracy and fairness are fundamental to good journalism.
I believe that a journalist should write only what he holds in his heart to be true.
I believe that suppression of the news, for any consideration other than the welfare of society, is indefensible.
I believe that no one should write as a journalist what he would not say as a gentleman; that bribery by one's own pocket book is as much to be avoided as bribery by the pocketbook of another; that individual responsibility may not be escaped by pleading another's instructions or another's dividends.
I believe that advertising, news and editorial columns should alike serve the best interests of readers; that a single standard of helpful truth and cleanness should prevail for all; that supreme test of good journalism is the measure of its public service.
I believe that the journalism which succeeds the best — and best deserves success — fears God and honors man; is stoutly independent; unmoved by pride of opinion or greed of power; constructive, tolerant but never careless, self-controlled, patient, always respectful of its readers but always unafraid, is quickly indignant at injustice; is unswayed by the appeal of the privilege or the clamor of the mob; seeks to give every man a chance, and as far as law, an honest wage and recognition of human brotherhood can make it so, an equal chance; is profoundly patriotic while sincerely promoting international good will and cementing world-comradeship, is a journalism of humanity, of and for today's world.

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