The Society of Professional Journalist

 

A picture of the Society of Professional Journalists logo 

History

The Society of Professional Journalists was founded on April 17, 1909. It was originally a journalism fraternity at DePauw University located in Greenville, Indiana. The original group was made up of ten students, who created the organization to promote "Excellence in journalism."  The group began admitting professional journalists in the 1960s. The organization was originally made up of males only; it wouldn't be until 1969 that they would begin to allow women to join. The name "Society of Professional Journalists" came about in 1973 to reflect a broader, more inclusive mission.

Major Contributions 

The SPJ Code of Ethics was adopted in 1926 and contains 4 main principles: 

This is the picture of the Society of Professional
Journalists' "Code of Ethics"

1. Seek the truth and report it 

2. Minimize harm 

3. Act independently 

4. Be accountable and transparent 

Additionally, SPJ advocates for First Amendment rights and freedom of information and provides journalism training, networking, and professional development.

What Exactly Do They Do?

The SPJ continues to maintain and update the Code of Ethics. They also support journalists who are facing legal threats and censorship. Continuing on, SPJ also hosts conferences and workshops such as Media Fest and SPJ Regional Conferences. They also give out numerous awards, scholarships for students, connect journalists across different platforms, and a legal defense fund for journalists. 

SPJ Chapters 

SPJ has hundreds of chapters at colleges and universities across the U.S. These chapters are typically open to all majors. SPJ chapters typically host: networking events, guest speakers, studio tours, and workshops. 

Fun Fact: Here at High Point University, our SPJ Club typically hosts alumni guest speakers and tours local news stations. 

This is the High Point University SPJ club visiting the local 
News station Fox 8. 

 Chester C. Wells. 

Key People From SPJ 

Chester C. Wells was the second president of SPJ (at the time Sigma Delta Chi). Today, he is remembered through the Wells Memorial Key, which is the highest honor SPJ can bestow upon a member. 

Jean Otto

Jean Otto was the first female president of the Society of Professional Journalists. According to the Society of Professional Journalists timeline, she did not begin writing until she was 35. Her passion for writing stemmed from wanting to write about ordinary people in her small city in Wisconsin. She had stopped working for a while, and it wouldn't be until 1960, after her divorce, that she decided to jumpstart her career in journalism. She began writing for the Appleton Post-Crescent, where she had a bi-weekly column. Many of her male colleagues were active. 

members in SPJ, and after SPJ started allowing women to join in 1969, she decided to register for membership in 1970. She shares how joining SPJ introduced her to many questions she had never considered, such as ethics and information access. truth and individual privacy. As she stayed active in SPJ, she continued to move up. When she was elected president from 1978 80, Otto oversaw massive reform of the organization from financial to administrative. It would be Otto and her colleagues who founded the First Amendment Congress, a group of journalism organizations that met to explore how the public views the media and creative strategies for building trust and understanding. 

AI Disclaimer: AI was used to conduct research on some attributes of the history and overall timeline that was not seen on the Society of Professional Journalism website.