MEDIA & ETHICS | MAY 29, 2024

STAND Releases Code of Conduct for Reporters Covering the Scientology Religion

Because a free press is vital to democracy and its members have a duty to safeguard fundamental rights, Scientologists are vocal in their demands for accurate, unbiased journalism.

We believe discriminatory rhetoric, misinformation and hate speech have no place in “reporting”—about any group.

To facilitate accurate, unbiased and responsible journalism that empowers communities with truth, STAND has released the below Media Code of Conduct.

We expect media to adhere to these basic standards of journalistic ethics and common decency in the coverage of our religion.

STAND’s Media Code of Conduct:

Park personal bias at the newsroom door when writing about our religion.
Refer to our Church by its proper name: the Church of Scientology.
Cover anti-Scientology bigotry as what it is: bigotry. Do not feature the expression of anti-Scientology hate as “opinion” or “news.”
Label the Scientology religion accurately, as a religion—not a “group,” “sect,” “ideology” or any other denigrating term.
Do not label our religion “controversial” or use disparaging adjectives to mischaracterize our religion.
Recognize that we are the experts on what we believe. Consult Scientology.org, Scientology.tv and our actual scripture to accurately depict our practices and beliefs.
Do not amplify the bigotry of anti-Scientology apostates. An apostate has an inherent conflict of interest that disqualifies him or her as a source.
Include the Scientology religion in your coverage only when it is relevant to your story.
Respect that Scientologists, like members of every religion, are diverse politically, socially and otherwise and are not to be stereotyped or painted with the same brush.
Give a representative of our religion equal time and space—not just a token sound bite—when covering the Scientology religion.
Refuse to give a platform to sources seeking to profit through defamation of our religion.
Do not pass judgment on our religion based on the actions of a single member.
Do not take our scripture out of context.
Respect your readers’ right to know. Disclose the full background and conflicts of interest of your sources on the subject of the Scientology religion.
Treat our religion and its members with the same respect you would expect others to demonstrate toward your own.