Chapter of the professional duties of French journalists, adopted by the National Syndicate of French Journalists in 1918 and revised and completed by the Syndicate in 1938.
A journalist worthy of the name:
ïassumes responsibility for all that he writes;
ïconsiders slander, unfounded accusations, alteration of documents,
distortion of facts and lying, to be the most serious professional misconduct;
ïrecognises the jurisdiction of his colleagues as the only one which is sovereign in matters of professional honour;
ïaccepts only such assignments that are compatible with his professional dignity;
ïrefuses to invoke an imaginary title of quality, use disloyal means to get information or take advantage of the good faith of anybody;
ïdoes not receive money in a public service or a private enterprise where his status of journalist, his influence and his relations may be made use of;
ïdoes not sign articles of commercial or financial advertising;
ïdoes not commit any plagiarism;
ïdoes not claim the position held by another colleague nor causes him to be dismissed by offering to work under inferior conditions;
ïkeeps the professional secrecy;
ïdoes not make use of the freedom of the press with profit-seeking intentions;
ïdemands the freedom to publish his information honestly;
ïrespects justice and gives it top priority;
ïdoes not confuse his role with that of a policeman.