Quiz on Journalism Ethics

According to the NUJ Code, what condition justifies a journalist using non-straightforward means to obtain material?

• The journalist cannot find a willing source

• The story is for investigative television

• The public interest is overwhelming and evidence cannot be obtained otherwise

• The story involves a celebrity

What form of deception did Mazher Mahmood most commonly use in his investigations?

• Pretending to be a police officer

• Using fake hospital IDs

• Dressing as a sheikh offering business deals

• Accessing school databases

Why did the PCC reject the News of the World's defense in the case of the journalist posing as a cousin in a school?

• The student was over 16

• It involved recording conversations

• The method involved illegal payment

• The journalist used misrepresentation and lacked school permission

Under what legal act is "blagging" classified as illegal in the UK?

• The Human Rights Act

• The Press Complaints Code

• The Data Protection Act

• The Freedom of Information Act

Which of the following best describes "blagging"?

• Asking repeated questions to a reluctant source

• Intercepting mobile messages

• Deceiving people or paying insiders to gain confidential info

• Recording without consent in a public space

According to the PCC, when is it acceptable to interview a child under 16 about welfare issues?

• When the school principal gives permission

• When the teacher is present

• When a responsible adult or custodial parent consents

• When it's in a public interest

Why must journalists avoid revealing even the identity of confidential sources in private documents or notes?

• It is discouraged by editors

• Courts can demand production of such documents

• It offends the NUJ

• It breaches GDPR

In which situation would long-lens photography be considered a breach of journalistic ethics?

• Taking group photos in public

• Taking pictures in private places without consent

• Capturing images at press events

• Filming celebrities on red carpet

What is a journalist ethically required to do if a person refuses an interview but is contacted again persistently?

• Use secret recording

• Claim public interest

• Cease further contact or risk harassment accusations

• Offer payment

What does the NUJ Code say regarding the protection of confidential sources?

• Reporters should reveal them to editors

• Sources can be disclosed if asked by a colleague

• Journalists must protect confidential sources and resist pressure to reveal them

• Only anonymous sources need protection