Professional Ethics

Editorial Policy and Professional Ethics Guidelines

Respect for truth and meeting society’s need for information are fundamental principles of journalism. Regardless of the media outlet they work for, a journalist bears public responsibility.

General Principles

The media organization adheres to the following principles:

– the editorial office must uphold objectivity, accuracy, impartiality, and integrity;

– information must not be published without verification and confidence in its accuracy;

– presentation of facts and events must avoid bias;

– libel, insults, and hate speech are strictly prohibited;

– compliance with the national language standards is required;

– journalists should avoid vulgar language and jargon in their materials;

– the editorial policy must never conflict with statehood, national‑spiritual values, general morality, or family institution protection;

– issues of citizen rights, solidarity, democracy, and equal opportunities must be handled sensitively;

– the editorial team should safeguard national and social interests, avoiding content that offends religious beliefs or dignity;

– respect for state symbols is mandatory;

– promotion of terrorism, violence, cruelty, or discrimination based on nationality, race, religion, or gender is forbidden;

– content contrary to the protection of health and the environment must not be promoted;

– freedom of information, transparency, objectivity, impartiality, justice, and pluralism must not be compromised;

– materials should be precise and incorporate as many viewpoints as practical;

– the journalist should not lose sight of their educational mission and strive to uphold it;

– critical reasoning based on facts must guide the reporting of events;

– coverage of violence, crime, and other harmful behavior must be adequate, without promotion or sensationalism;

– information or images harmful to the physical, mental, or moral development of vulnerable groups, especially children, must not be used;

– for children, requirements of Azerbaijan’s Law on Protecting Children from Harmful Information must be followed;

– in reporting sexual crimes involving minors, the child’s identity must remain confidential;

– unless directly relevant, persons’ race, colour, religion, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability should not be exposed in detail;

– age‑restriction indicators should be applied when appropriate;

– content promoting parapsychology, superstition, or mysticism must be avoided;

– reports on suicide attempts must not provoke imitation and should be handled with extreme sensitivity;

– the journalist must respect the presumption of innocence of any suspect.

News vs Commentary

– clear distinction must exist between news and commentary, and sources must be clearly identified;

– journalists must not stray from ethical standards or core journalistic principles in commentary;

– when publishing external authors’ pieces, the editorial office should append a disclaimer, such as “The opinion of the author may not reflect the position of the editorial board”;

– quotations must remain unaltered;

– advertorial content must be clearly separated and labeled as advertising;

– journalists may refuse editorial assignments that conflict with law or professional ethics;

– if editing distorts a journalist’s viewpoint, they may disavow authorship of the material.

Working with Sources

– preference is given to transparent, reputable, and accurate sources;

– if disclosure could harm a source directly, anonymity must be preserved;

– editors and reporters must assess anonymous sources—confidential information may be published only if in public interest and verified by alternative sources;

– factual information must be confirmed by at least two independent, non‑related sources;

– an anonymous source may be revealed only by court order;

– sources must be treated fairly and quoted in context.

Corrections and Retractions

Across audiovisual, digital, and print platforms, errors must be corrected promptly, with clear explanation of how and why the correction occurred so that users understand it;

– after correction, terms like “Correction” or “Editorial Note” should be used;

– if a piece has been substantially changed, the changes must be explained in detail;

– in cases of professional-standard concerns raised publicly, an “Editorial Note” should be issued;

– materials should not be deleted—updates or additions should be made instead;

– for detailed guidance on retractions, corrections, and procedures, reference should be made to Azerbaijan’s Media Law.

Copyright

– plagiarism and copyright infringement are prohibited;

– when using another outlet’s materials, proper attribution is mandatory;

– journalists should clearly distinguish between own observations and information sourced externally;

– a journalist may not offer unsolicited material to third parties without agreement from their media organization;

– in case of dispute, relevant provisions of Azerbaijan’s Copyright Law and Media Law should be consulted.

Journalist’s Conduct on Social Media

– journalists must remain professional on social media and avoid actions that could harm their media organization’s reputation;

– when using audio/video/photo content from social networks, the interests and privacy of individuals who did not consent to public sharing should be respected;

– information from social networks should be evaluated for public significance and author credibility, and verified through additional sources;

– unpublished material must not be discussed on social media without editorial approval.

Professional Ethics

Serious journalism cannot exist outside media ethics norms. Professional ethics includes:

– a journalist must never accept gifts in relation to their professional activity;

– invitations to private or non‑public events should not be accepted;

– journalists should not produce material on behalf of others;

– confidential editorial information must not be disclosed;

– a journalist must not assume obligations that limit their professional independence;

– working relationships within the editorial staff and with leadership must be healthy, transparent, and lawful;

– journalists should adhere to principles of professional solidarity;

– staff should protect the reputation of their media organization even in personal conduct.