The Society of Professional Journalists has updated its code of ethics after 18 years.
The update was a yearlong process that took about a year. It culminated with a vote of approval by delegates at this year’s national convention in Nashville Sept. 6. The updated version of the code is posted at http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp.
During the closing business session, convention delegates also voted down a proposal to change SPJ’s name from Society of Professional Journalists to Society for Professional Journalism. Region 3 Director Michael Koretzky had proposed the idea to make SPJ more inclusive, welcoming journalism supporters who are not necessarily journalists.
Results of the national elections were announced during the convention’s closing business session. Winners included: Paul Fletcher of the Virginia Pro chapter for president-elect; Lynn Walsh of the Florida Pro chapter for secretary-treasurer; Alex Tarquinio of New York City’s Deadline Club for director at large; and Mike Reilley of DePaul University for campus adviser at large. Jordan Gass-Poore’ of Texas State University and Brett Hall of the University of Maryland won the two student representative seats.
The national election included two straw poll questions.
Asked if they supported the latest draft of the revised Code of Ethics, 436 respondents said yes, 54 said no, and 92 had no opinion. (The version offered for the straw poll later went through several revisions before the new code was approved.) Asked if they supported the name change for SPJ, 345 said no, 205 said yes, and 46 had no opinion.
Separately, SPJ’s national board discussed several topics during the convention and voted on a few.
The board agreed to create a new endowed legal defense fund, which also will be used for advocacy. The board also decided that the 2017 national convention should be in Anaheim, California, which is where the 2013 convention was held. SPJ’s staff has recommended choosing four or five sites across the country for conventions and rotating among them.
Next year’s convention is in Orlando, Florida, and New Orleans is the venue for 2016.