Dana Currier

By Dana Currier

Although I am not a journalist myself, the field of media ethics is not new to me. My father was a journalist for almost 40 years, and my brother is a journalist now. We grew up in a household where excellence in writing and reporting was held in the highest esteem, and maintaining ethical practices in pursuit of this excellence was always expected.

My father’s commitment to writing the most accurate and objective articles he could was important and guided every decision he made. He chose not to speak publicly about his political views and did not accept gifts from the financial institutions he wrote about. He provided a powerful example for my family of what it means to be a good journalist and an ethical human being. I credit him with inspiring my brother to start his own career in journalism and motivating me to take on a position with the Center for International Media Ethics CIME.

Although my father never worked under the severe conditions endured by journalists in parts of the world where political upheaval, hunger and violence are a part of daily life, I think he would appreciate the heroic efforts of journalists who fight to maintain their ethical standards in the face of such adversity. He instilled in me a respect for those who seek to provide honest reporting to their country’s citizens and showed me that the journalist’s contribution to public life is invaluable. It is my hope that, in helping to further CIME’s mission, I can honor my father’s devotion to this field and help those journalists who are striving to uphold their own commitment to practicing ethical journalism.