| A | B |
|---|
| “Composite characters” | fictional characters a news writer creates by using characteristics of several real people. This practice is frowned upon by ethical journalism. |
| Credibility | the ability to inspire belief and trust |
| Ethics | a system of moral principles |
| Fair comment and criticism | a libel defense that protects a journalist’s expressed opinion of public figures or reviews of books, records, and the like |
| Forum theory | the idea that once a forum (or place where ideas are exchanged) is created, the ideas expressed there cannot later be controlled. |
| In loco parentis | the legal idea that school authorities act “in place of the parent” and assume a parent’s right, duties, and responsibilities. This concept was apparently struck down in the Tinker case. |
| Libel | written defamation; damaging false statements against another person or institution that appear in writing or that are spoken (broadcast) from a written script. |
| Objectivity | the ability to make fair, neutral observations about people and events. |
| Plagiarism | – the taking and using as one’s own the writings or inventions of other people. |
| Prior restraint | censorship, or restraint in advance of publication. This is illegal in the United States except in the rarest of circumstances, usually pertaining to national security in wartime. |
| Privileged statement | statements made on the floor of the Congress, in the state legislature, or in a courtroom that, if published, are immune from libel suits. |
| right of reply | the opportunity for permitting a person criticized in a story to respond to that criticism in the same story. |
| Slander | a damaging false statement against another person or institution spoken or broadcast extemporaneously. |
