http://www.australian-news.com.au/codethics.htm

Have had an incident non aviation related concerning a young & keen
Journo over here .

Good person in base terms but still wet behind the ears very keen and
ambitious . Which led the jourmo into a dreadful trap of zeal
exceeding checking the facts .

Some how I got dragged into the bunfight as a sort of mediator between
the injured party and the journos senior management .
Upon auditing every thing it came down that the journo was led by
another party (who would profit by certain negatives ) No money
changed hands to the journo but a combination of pillow talk and
malicious hearsay damaged another party .

The code of ethics came into the matrix and poor Journo was really
set up and believed the hearsay and for her unfortunately wrote it up
as an informed and VERIFIED source . Which upon the simple
examination was later proved false.

What was coming over loud and clear from others in the craft was the
ideal of "in the public interest"
The matter came down to two simple tests

Did you check the allegations in any manner or form ? Did you take
steps to contact the other side for comment before publishing ?

Answer to both tests was NO ." I felt it my duty to report in the
public interest"

The next line of "discussion" went along . Do you think it is in the
public interest to be a vehicle for spreading falsehoods and
innuendo ?

Answer -- (this floored me) Yes if it is in the public interest .
At this time discussion was white boarded with key indicators from
the industry code of ethics .
Happily after arrangement of meetings including lawyers every oen
kissed and made up and one budding journo I would say is now wiser and
even more dedicated .

But it proves that be it an airline or any other vocation or
business checks and balances (or even a simple business statement)
must be implanted in new staff .

The problem is if the older staff are too busy or trust the
subordinates a tad too much real and potentially damaging problems
can and do arrise.

What does this parable have to do with Aus aviation?

well perhaps given the latest Qantas and industry bashing. A seminar
where industry invites Journos along
and get the message of how teh airline industry operates and casa
reps also and nip this style of reporting in the bud . I see only
winners where zeal can be tempered by teh granting of tools or
sources with which to check before going and looking out for the
public interests .

If the practitioners are deficient then so will be the readers
because the raw and true data is flawed .

Steps off soap box

For discussion ( in the context of what has the aviation industry
done or intends to do about a situation that appears to irk many of
us )
P