Introduction
Freedom speech is the foundation of a democratic society. Good journalistic practice is based on the right of everyone to receive information and opinions.
These guidelines aim to support the responsible use of freedom of speech in the media and to promote debate on journalism and journalistic ethics. Journalism that seeks the truth helps the public to form an understanding of society and the world.
These guidelines apply to all journalistic work and editorial content in all publication channels used by the editorial office. Editorial content means material produced, commissioned, edited or highlighted by the editorial office, regardless of the medium or how it is presented or the technology used to produce it. Decision-making power must always rest with the editorial office.
Situations where the media makes available content published by the public, are dealt with separately in an annex to these guidelines. pu
Journalist’s Guidelines are designed for self-regulation by the media. Anyone can complain to the Council for Mass Media (CMM) if they believe that a media outlet that is committed to self-regulation has breached the Journalist’s Guidelines. The media that have breached the guidelines must publish a reprimand issued by the CMM. The Guidelines are not intended to be used as a basis for criminal or civil liability.
These Guidelines have been approved by the Management Group of Council for Mass Media on 24 April 2024 and will enter into force on 1 October 2024.
Professional status
1. A journalist is primarily responsible to the public The public has the right to know what is happening in society.
2. Decisions concerning editorial content must be made on journalistic grounds. Under no circumstances may this decision-making power be handed to any party outside the editorial office.
3. A journalist has the right and the duty to resist any pressure or persuasion that seeks to steer, prevent or restrict the journalistic process, or the flow of information.
4. A journalist is not allowed to misuse their position. For example, a journalist must not deal with subjects that involve the possibility of personal gain or a personal commercial collaboration, nor demand or receive benefits that may compromise their independence or professional ethics in the exercise of their journalistic duties.
5. If the subject matter is of importance to the media outlet itself, to the company to which it belongs or its significant owner, the context must be made clear to the public.
6. A journalist has the right to refuse any assignment which is in conflict to the law, personal conviction or professional ethics.
Obtaining and publishing information
7. The journalist has a duty to seek truthful information.
8. When carrying out their work, a journalist must declare their profession. The aim must be to obtain information in a transparent manner. Where matters of public importance cannot be otherwise ascertained, journalists may conduct interviews and obtain information by extraordinary means.
9. Information must be checked as thoroughly as possible – even if it has been previously published.
10. Good journalistic practice must also be observed when using someone else’s work. The source must be acknowledged when using information published by another.
11. The public must be able to distinguish fact from opinion and fictional material.
12. Information sources must be approached critically. This is particularly important when the matter is controversial or when the source of the information may be intended for personal gain or to damage others.
13. A journalist has the right and the duty to keep the identity of the source of confidential information confidential as agreed with the source.
In case information is of major importance to the society, or if the publication of the information will result in very negative publicity, the journalist must justify to the public the use of an anonymous source without compromising the protection of the source, and disclose how the reliability of the anonymous source and the information obtained from them has been ensured.
14. A news item may be published on the basis of limited information. In such cases, reporting of facts and events must be supplemented once new essential information becomes available. Efforts should be made to follow news events through to the end.
15. Headlines, leads, cover and picture captions, sales posters and other presentations must be justified by the substance of the story.
16. Hidden advertising must be avoided. Advertisements and commercial collaborations must be clearly distinguishable from editorial content.
17. Journalistic work may be funded by external sources. If this contributor influences the choice of subject matter, it must be identified. Decision-making power on journalistic content must always remain with the editorial staff, irrespective of the sponsor.
Rights of the interviewee and simultaneous reply
18. The interviewees have the right to know in advance whether the discussion is intended for publication, or merely for background, and in what context their statements will be used. They must also be informed if the interview may be published in several media. Particular care must be taken when the interviewee is in a clearly vulnerable position.
19. The interviewees’ requests to verify their statements before publication should be granted if the publication schedule allows. The right of inspection applies only to the interviewee’s own statements and must not be used to delegate journalistic decision-making power outside the editorial office
20. An interviewee’s refusal to publish their statements should only be granted if circumstances have changed substantially since the interview was given or if new information has become available which would make publication clearly unfair.
21. If information is published about the activities of a clearly identifiable person or entity that would place that person or entity in a very negative light, the person or entity should be given an opportunity to make their views known at the same time.
22. If a simultaneous hearing is not possible, the person subjected to very negative publicity must be heard afterwards. If this is not possible, their comments should be published as soon as possible without any irrelevant additions. If the statement is not fit for publication, changes should be discussed with the writer, and an effort should be made to publish the relevant content of the statement in an objective form.
Conventional art reviews, political, economic or societal commentary or similar expression of opinion do not, however, warrant a right to reply.
Human dignity, privacy and publicity
23. The human dignity of every individual must be respected.
24. Ethnic origin, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, convictions, state of health, family relationships or similar characteristics may not be expressed in a stigmatising or degrading manner.
25. Highly delicate matters concerning people’s personal lives may only be published with the consent of the person in question, or, if such matters are of considerable public interest. These requirements also apply to anonymous but publicly identifiable persons.
26. It is generally permissible to report and photograph activities in public places without the consent of the persons concerned.
27. The right to privacy must also be taken into account when dealing with public information. Not everything in the public domain is necessarily publishable. Particular care must be taken when dealing with matters concerning minors or persons clearly in a vulnerable position.
28. When obtaining and reporting information on illness, death, accidents and crime victims, discretion must always be exercised. If information or material is requested from the public at the scene of an accident or crime, the public should be instructed to act without compromising safety.
29. Particular care should be taken in reporting situations that may endanger the life or health of any person.
Reporting on trials and crime
30. During trials, the preliminary investigation and prosecution of crimes, no improper attempts shall be made to influence the decisions of the authorities or to prejudge guilt.
31. In the case of a fresh suspicion or accusation of a crime, the publication of the name, photograph or other identifying information of the suspect or accused must be made with due care.
32. The name, photograph or other identifying information of a person convicted of a crime may be published unless it is clearly disproportionate to the status of the convicted person or the act. Particular restraint shall be exercised in disclosing the identity of a minor or a person found to be criminally unaccountable.
33. The identity of the victim of a sensitive crime shall be protected unless it is of exceptional public interest. Information about the offender, the accused or the suspect which reveals the identity of the victim of a particularly sensitive crime should not normally be published.
34. If a request for an investigation, indictment or conviction has been published in the news, the matter should be followed up to the end, if possible.
Correction of errors and changes after publication
35. An essential factual error must be corrected as soon as possible after it comes to the attention of the editorial staff and in such a way that it will reach the public as widely as possible. The correction must be published in all publication channels in which the erroneous story has been published or made available to the public. The correction shall inform the public of the error and how and when it was corrected.
The degree of attention brought to the correction must be proportionate to the seriousness of the error. If necessary, in addition to corrections, the editor shall publish a new story identifying the errors.
The media should inform the public how to report errors or how to contact the editor.
36. In addition to corrections, the public must also be informed of any other changes to the published story that significantly alter the substance of the story.
37. Published editorial content may not be removed well after the date of publication except for particularly compelling reasons.
Annex: Self-published content by the public
The principles in this Annex apply to the conduct of the media in relation to content produced by the public when it is not considered editorial content.
In the case of self-published content by the public, the Council and its Chair may address the editorial staff’s conduct as the operator of the media outlet’s own website, social media accounts or other publishing channels used by the media. The binding nature of these principles is equivalent to the Journalist’s Guidelines.
L1. The boundary between editorial content and content published by the public must be kept clear.
L2. The editorial staff is responsible for monitoring and moderating content published by the public on media´s own website and own applications. Content aimed at children and young people must be monitored with particular care.
L3. The public must have the possibility to flag inappropriate content to the editorial staff. In the publication channels the media use, must be clear instructions on how people can flag content to the editorial staff. The flagger must receive an acknowledgement when it is reasonably practicable.
L4. The editorial staff must exercise discretion in choosing the subjects on which it allows the public to comment.
Once the editorial staff become aware of any content that incites violence or discrimination, incites hatred or violates privacy or human dignity, such content must be promptly removed from media´s own website and own applications.
When flagged, efforts must be made to remove such content also from other than media´s own publication channels as well without delay, if the publication channel so permits.
Correction 2.9.2025: The wording was changed at at the beginning of clause 35 to make it match the official Finnish version. The words “Incorrect information” were replaced by “An essential factual error”.