Should Content Creators Follow Journalism’s Ethics Rules?

The Society of Professional Journalists is proposing its first Code of Ethics revision since 2014 and only the sixth revision in the code’s 100-year history. The proposed update addresses artificial intelligence, misinformation, fabricated content, verification, source transparency, accountability, and the changing definition of who produces journalism. That creates an important new-media question: if independent creators increasingly inform public understanding, should they follow journalistic standards—even if they do not call themselves journalists? In this episode of Think Like a Producer, TV news veteran and media-readiness strategist Jamie Maglietta examines three angles experts can use: Why creators need a verification process Why using AI does not transfer accountability How transparency, sourcing, and disclosure can build authority The proposed code retains four foundational principles: seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently, and be accountable and transparent. After attending the Status Summit and listening to media leaders debate the future of news, Jamie explains why the future of media is not only about platforms, formats, and technology. It is also about what standards audiences can trust. Experts no longer need to wait for a newsroom to book them before publishing. But earning attention is not the same as earning trust. Jamie will continue sharing lessons from the Status Summit through social media, her Substack, and future Think Like a Producer episodes. If this story inspires your content, tag Jamie Maglietta and @get_oncamready. Tag a creator, journalist, or expert who should be part of the conversation. Use the news. Find your angle. Produce your authority. This episode is sponsored by ON CAM Ready. If you need help identifying your angle, strengthening your message, or becoming ready for opportunities on camera, visit the link below. SOURCES: Associated Press: Journalism Ethics Code Gets an AI-Era Reboot https://apnews.com/article/5ad384e805aa39333e0ea87d26b8e844 Society of Professional Journalists: Proposed Code of Ethics Revisions https://www.spj.org/spj-ethics-committee-proposes-revisions-to-code-of-ethics/ SPJ: 2026 Code of Ethics Revision Project https://www.spj.org/spj-ethics-code-revision-project-2026/ Columbia Journalism Review: Revising the Ethics Code https://www.cjr.org/feature/society-professional-journalists-spj-revising-the-ethics-code-ethical-precepts-ai-voice-content-creators.php Status Summit: Official Event Page https://www.statussummit.news/ Connect with Jamie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamie_maglietta/ Show Clips: https://www.instagram.com/get_oncamready/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-maglietta/ Podcast Offer: www.oncamready.com/podcast-offer Pitch: [email protected] Riverside (Affiliate): Record your content with Riverside: https://riverside.sjv.io/09VWrE Discount Code: OCR15 VidIQ (Affiliate): https://vidiq.com/oncamready #JournalismEthics #ContentCreators #MediaLiteracy #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfMedia