Journalists in the traditional media dealt with their ethics through a set of established rules and practices. We should not accept gifts or freebies, or allow a conflict of interest in stories we cover. We should be immunised from the influence of advertisers. We should separate commentary and news reporting and convey the views of all parties to a story.

The watchwords were objectivity and fairness, and these values were reflected in codes of conduct and newsroom rituals.

Such rules were developed in the pre-internet age, when there were far fewer media outlets and they tended to carry weight and authority, even though this was sometimes illusory. There was a daily news cycle and much more time to verify the facts, speak to all the parties and “complete” a story before publication or broadcast.[more]