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Newspaper People's “Significant Others”: Ethics as a Function of Reference Groups

Newspaper people are charged "not just to inform, or to serve as a forum for debate, but also to bring an independent scrutiny ... on the forces of power in society/'according to the American Society of Newspaper Editors' Statement of Principles. This "independent scrutiny" is the fundamental tenent of an adversary relationship between the press and governments, and between journalists and business interests. However, there are a number of concerns about the external pressures on newspeople which may affect newspaper coverage of political and economic issues...concerns about the role these significant others may play in news gathering and reporting. This analysis explores attraction to the reference groups perceived as most significant. Questions addressed are: • Do newspaper people share a common perspective about the goals and values of their profession, ordo differences among their perspectives exist? • Can differences be found by measuring newspaper people's attractions to different reference groups? • If differences exist, how do they affect journalists' professional practices?