LAHORE: Journalists must take responsibility for accuracy of their work and not count on anonymous sources (for their stories), says American Prof Dr Matt J Duffy.

Delivering a lecture at the University of Central Punjab (UCP) here on Wednesday, Prof Duffy, a teacher of journalism, media ethics and international communication law at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, US, said journalists needed to gather correct information to supply to the masses through their stories.

He gave examples of some stories in the media in which reporters had cited anonymous sources for information, which at the end of the day turned out to be wrong. He underlined the need to not deliberately distort facts or context and never plagiarise.

“Journalists must avoid stereotyping and examine the ways their values and experiences may shape their reporting,” he said, adding ethical journalism treated sources, subjects and people as human beings deserving respect.

UCP Dean of Media Studies Prof Mugheesuddin Sheikh talked about regulation for bloggers and digital journalists here on the pattern of the US.

“Different journalist bodies should take digital journalists on board as well as media teachers for training of professionals,” he said, adding regulation of digital journalists and bloggers was the need of the hour as it was thriving worldwide.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2016