CHARTER 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:
assumes responsibility of all that he writes;
considers the slander, unfounded accusations, alteration of documents, distortion of facts, and lying to be the most serious professional misconduct;
recognizes the jurisdiction of his colleagues as the only one which is sovereign in matters of professional honour;
accepts only such assignments that are compatible with his professional dignity;
renounces to invoke an imaginary title of quality, use disloyal means to get information or take advantage of the good faith of anybody;
does 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;
does not sign articles of commercial or financial advertising;
does not commit any plagiarism;
does not claim the position held by another colleague nor does cause him to be dismissed by offering to work under inferior conditions; keeps the professional secrecy;
does not make use of the freedom of the press with profit-seeking intentions;
demands the freedom to honestly publish his information;
respects justice and gives it top priority;
does not confuse his role with a policeman's.