Here, “we review a few of the most memorable ethical missteps in 2023 as a reminder of what we should not be doing as journalists.

Biased Israel-Hamas coverage alleged from multiple sides
Reporting on Israeli-Palestinian relations is tricky in the best of circumstances. When war breaks out in the area, journalists can expect every word to be picked apart and allegations of bias from multiple sides.
The attack on Israel by Hamas last fall, and Israel’s forceful response, followed this script, exacerbating long-standing issues of how to report on complex Middle East affairs accurately, sensitively and ethically. The conflict caused editors to wrestle with word choice and how to avoid statements that someone could interpret as biased.
In the weeks following the attack, NPR reviewed 130 email messages from listeners about its coverage. About 60% alleged anti-Israel bias and about 24% alleged bias against Palestinians, according to the network’s public editor. (Fifteen percent offered a critique without alleging bias.)
Among the most volatile errors news organizations made with the story was running unverified accounts that Hamas beheaded 40 babies and trusting initial allegations that Israel was responsible for a deadly explosion at a hospital in Gaza. (Subsequent evidence compiled by news organizations seemed to shift the blame to a Palestinian source, although there was no definitive conclusion.)
It’s essential when reporting on controversial issues with high public interest that journalists not cut any ethical corners, particularly in researching and verifying information. For stories like the Israel-Hamas conflict, it could be helpful to provide historical context, be skeptical of salacious allegations and avoid dehumanizing language. Also, from the SPJ Code of Ethics, “remember that neither speed nor format excuses inaccuracy.“

Though we are just halfway through, the results of inferior journalism and reporting for 2024 are sky-high when considering the questionable integrity and the practice of knowingly feeding lies to viewers.

Aside from the continuing biased corporate Western media coverage of the Gaza genocide, the report by the Human Rights Watch on Hamas’ 7 October operations has been a major mishap of journalism and professional reporting, lacking credible evidence.

Concerning the hospital bombing mentioned in the text above, it is well-known how many hospitals the IOF have bombed intentionally ever since, with the usual pretext that Hamas is hiding among civilians and that UMWRA is a terrorist organization.

Quill report