It has become known as ‘social media’ and many news items, often not reported by mainstream media, are uploaded to Facebook.

But correct reporting of news items can bring much greater impact to an item.

I have worked in journalism on and off for over 40 years, both as staff and as freelance, and ran a regional newspaper office as chief reporter/news editor for five years. I also ran my own news service for several years, providing news copy to the print and broadcast media. I am an old school journalist who worked from the bottom up and I have a solid belief in the true aims of journalism: to investigate, inform, educate, and also entertain.

When uploading an item that relies on presented ‘facts’, a link to the source of those facts should always be provided. Not providing background information on stated facts is not good practice and allows anyone to claims something as fact. Such a situation is not good journalism.

Mainstream journalism has undergone significant change in the past few years and much editorial freedom has been lost to corporate decision making.

However, reporting guidelines from organisations such as the National Union of Journalists and similar bodies, are based on good practice.

To read more on journalistic ethos and practice, visit my page here. Although the page refers to posting items to newsmedianews, the outlined practices are essential to good reporting.

The same recommendations obviously do not apply to personal, non-news related posts.

Keith Harris
editor