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4. Obscenity & Indecency – In Miller v. California (1973), the court’s decision stated that obscenematerial is not protected by the First Amendment and that such speech may be regulated by thestate under certain circumstances. However, expressions of views that do not involve a “clear andpresent danger of serious substantive evil” do come under the protection of the Constitution, whichguarantees freedom of speech and freedom of the press.In order to meet the definition of obscene material articulated in this case, the “Three Pronged Test”for obscenity was established. The following three conditions must be met:a) whether the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that thework, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest;b) whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specificallydefined by the applicable state law;c) whether the work, taken as whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.5. Controversial Issues – While controversial issues will not be avoided, they will receive specialconsideration. Staff members should be guided by the principles of objectivity, fairness, accuracy,good taste, and relevance to the audience.6. Errors & Inaccuracies – The Carillon and smallTALK staffs are dedicated to publishing quality publications,and will never knowingly publish errors or inaccuracies. However, when a mistake does occur, the staffwill correct the error as soon as possible, regardless of the source of the error. These mistakes are usedas a teaching tool for future publications and, when appropriate, a retraction will be printed.7. Grammatical Errors – With proper training in the classroom and with proper teaching tools at the weeklymeetings, staff writers should do everything in their power to use correct grammar and punctuation.8. Fair & Balanced – To ensure fair and unbiased coverage, reporters should make every effort toresearch and seek comment from everyone with a direct interest in the story.If a source is unwilling or unavailable for comment, the story should include that information.9. Checking Sources, Undocumented Allegations & the Internet – Reporters should directlyidentify themselves to their sources prior to any meeting or interview. Reporters should be clearand straightforward with sources to make sure they are aware of what the reporter is doing. Whenpossible, writers should cite from at least three sources, and from at least one opposing source. Staffmembers are encouraged to check key quotes, paraphrases, and facts with reliable sources. Staffmembers will correctly attribute in all articles. Information from the Internet should be attributed toits URL address. Since some information on the Internet may not be accurate, verification of factsthrough another source is especially important.10. Reporter’s Checklist – According to the ACP, through all steps in the reporting process, fromconceptualizing the story assignment through information gathering and pre-writing, to writing,editing, and final publication, a reporter must answer these questions:a) Why am I reporting the story?b) Is the story fair?c) Have I attempted to report all angles?d) Who will the story affect?e) Can I defend my decision to report the story?11. Content - The content of the Carillon and smallTALK should reflect accepted journalistic principles,the Methodist University community standards, and the University’s mission statement.Learning Process & Roles Defined The Department of Student Media fosters an educational environmentin which students develop effective journalism skills, learn responsible decision-making, and avoidviolations of the code of ethics. The learning process and each individual’s role are described below.1. Pre-Semester Training – At the beginning of each semester, a workshop will be held by the Directorof Student Media for the staffs of the Carillon and smallTALK. At this time, the code of ethics will beaddressed and an ethics statement will be signed by all staff members to ensure his/her understandingof these principles.The Director should educate staff members that both the Carillon and smallTALK are forums for freeand open dialogue for student expression. Each publication should provide a full opportunity for studentjournalists to responsibly inquire, question, and exchange ideas with the Methodist University community.97