Accuracy, fairness and independence

The Press Council of India publishes the Norms of Journalistic Conduct, the code that Indian print journalism is measured against. Its core ideas are shared by good newsrooms everywhere.

## Accuracy and fairness
- Check facts before publication; do not publish rumour or speculation as fact.
- Give the person or organisation you criticise a chance to reply, and publish their reply.
- If you get something wrong, correct it promptly and with due prominence.

## Independence
A report should be decided by what is true and what matters to the public — not by who is pleased or annoyed by it. Advertisers, politicians, friends and owners must not decide what is news.

## Privacy
People have a right to privacy. Intrude only when there is a genuine public interest — not merely because the public is curious.

## Opinion and news
Keep them apart. Opinion pieces must be labelled as opinion, and news reports must not take sides through the choice of words.