THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            211
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
  URGING THE MEDIA TO COMMIT ITSELF ANEW TO ITS OWN CODE OF
    ETHICS AND ABIDE BY THE DISCIPLINE AND RESPONSIBILITY
    INHERENT IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS WISELY GRANTED
    TO OUR SPEECH AND PRESS. 
 
 1        WHEREAS, a principal reason for including speech and press
 2   freedoms in the First Amendment of the United States
 3   Constitution was to allow the press to speak freely on
 4   government policy and public officials, and to protect the
 5   press from retribution by the state; and 
 6   
 7        WHEREAS,the Hawaii State Constitution expressly adopted
 8   the United States Constitution, including the First Amendment;
 9   and 
10   
11        WHEREAS, Article I, Section 4 of the Hawaii State
12   Constitution contains language nearly identical to the First
13   Amendment; and 
14   
15        WHEREAS, preserving the freedoms of speech and press
16   enshrined in our Constitutions is key to the existence and
17   well-being of our representative form of govenrment; and 
18   
19        WHEREAS, these freedoms, if used as intended by the
20   drafters, allow the press to publish for the public's benefit,
21   education, and enlightenment facts and information about
22   government policy and policymakers; and 
23   
24        WHEREAS, even though the media does not have a
25   constitutional or statutory obligation to provide the public
26   with fair, accurate, or truthful reporting, the media is
27   governed by its own code of ethics and responsibility.  For
28   example, the Preamble to the Code of Ethics of the Society of
29   Professional Journalist states the following: 
30   
31             Members of the Society of Professional Journalists
32             believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner
33             of justice and the foundation of democracy.  The duty
34             of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking
35             truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account
36             of events and issues. Conscientious journalist from
37             all media and specialities strive to serve the public
38             with thoroughness and honesty.  Professional
39             integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's
40             credibility....; and
41   

 
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 1        WHEREAS, the Principals of Ethical Conduct for Newsrooms
 2   adopted by the Newspaper Division of the Gannett Company, 
 3   Incorporated, which owns the Honolulu Advertiser and seeks to
 4   purchase the publishing rights of the Honolulu Star Bulletin,
 5   states the following:  "We are committed to:  Seeking and
 6   reporting the truth in a truthful way; Serving the public
 7   interest; Exercising fair play; Maintaining independence;
 8   Acting with Integrity"; and 
 9   
10        WHEREAS, notwithstanding its constitutional freedoms and
11   self-imposed code of ethics, the media has consistently fallen
12   short of its noble aims and rightful public expectations and
13   failed to provide fair, accurate, or comprehensive reporting --
14   or to "report the truth in a truthful way."  Consequently, the
15   public has lost its trust in and respect for the media; and 
16   
17        WHEREAS, the media itself is aware of its plight.  A
18   report on a recent study conducted by the American Society of
19   Newspaper Editors ("ANSE") states: 
20   
21              [T]he ANSE study also notes that many readers think
22             the press covers sensational stories because they're
23             sensational, not because they are important.  They
24             think we are too easily manipulated by special
25             interest because we don't often explain why certain
26             stories are being covered. 
27   
28             Readers want the story with all the facts, not a
29             story with only some facts published in a rush to be
30             first.  And they want sources named, and when we
31             can't name them, they want to know why.
32   
33             In short, the public wants journalist and journalism
34             to get back to the basics of telling stories about
35             the people and events in their communities, to offer
36             those stories in a fair and balanced presenation with
37             sources identified, either by name or agenday...; and 
38   
39        WHEREAS, the media must again commit itself to its
40   governing code of ethics to alleviate the public's frustration
41   and distrust; and 
42   
43        WHEREAS, this recommitment is vital if the media is to
44   enlighten the public, regain the public trust, and remain the
45   "forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy;" now,
46   therefore, 

 
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 1   
 2        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
 3   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000, the House of
 4   Representatives concurring, that the media is urged to commit
 5   itself anew to its own code of ethics and abide by the
 6   discipline and responsibility inherent in the consitutional
 7   protections wisely granted to our speech and press; and  
 8   
 9         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
10   resolution be transmitted to all print, television, and radio
11   media in the state of Hawaii.
12 
13 
14                         
15                          OFFERED BY:_____________________________
16