This document outlines a 17-point code of ethics for journalists working at McGraw-Hill's Business Information Group. The code addresses issues like avoiding conflicts of interest, ensuring proper attribution of sources, distinguishing advertising from editorial content, and maintaining independence from advertisers. It aims to guide journalists in upholding standards of accuracy, fairness and transparency.

1. McGraw-Hill’s J-COBE
A journalistic subset of the company’s
Code of Business Ethics developed by
editors of the Business Information
Group in 2008

2. Influences
• This journalistic code of ethics was developed
with input from:
• American Business Media
• American Society of Business Publication
• Editors, The American Society of Magazine Editors
• The Society of Professional Journalists
• Business Week
• AVIATION WEEK ethical guidelines.

3. 1) Do Not Plagiarize or “Lift”
Information.
• Never use someone else’s words without
proper attribution.
• The source of information must be properly
identified.

4. 2) Graphics and Photography
• Graphic materials must be prepared with the
same concern for accuracy, fairness, balance
and attribution as the text. Do not modify in
ways that might mislead readers.
• If a photograph or illustration has been
altered in any significant way, the extent and
technique should be clearly explained in
caption/cut line or credit line.

5. 3) Conflicts of Interest
• Reporters and editors should avoid conflicts that may
raise doubts about their independence or motivation
behind the publication of all or part of a story or any
other information, in print or on the Web. (Example:
freelance editing for an advertiser.)
• Reporters and editors should not work for, or hold
financial interest in companies their publications or
Web sites regularly cover. Nor should they use their
positions to gain personal or commercial favor for
themselves or their family or friends. If in doubt,
discuss the issue with the editor in charge.

6. 4) Attribution and Sources
• On the record: All material obtained during an interview may be
reported, including quotes, and we reserve the right to identify the
source.
• Not for attribution: Information is usable, but the source cannot be
identified.
• Off the record: Information tagged cannot be divulged publicly.
• Strive to verify information by seeking more than one source.
• On stories with controversial issues, reporters have a responsibility
to seek multiple sources.
• Sources should be identified for readers, except in circumstances to
protect sources from the repercussions of speaking to a reporter.

7. 5) Represent Yourself Openly and
Honestly.
• Reporters should always identify themselves
honestly and never attempt to misrepresent
themselves in person, on the telephone,
through e-mail or on the Web, in the pursuit
of information or to gain access to a source.

8. 6) Securities Ownership and Trading
• Reporters are forbidden to own securities that their
editorial operation covers in print or on the Web.
• Editorial team members may not edit or write a story
or report on a story about a company or industry
sector funds—even if they are professionally
managed—in which family members own securities.
• Reporters and editors are permitted to invest in
diversified mutual funds, diversified exchange-traded
funds and diversified hedge funds, which may include
some holdings in the industry they cover.

9. 7) Do Not Disclose Content
Prematurely.
• Reporters are encouraged to fact-check stories and content
written for print and electronic delivery. However, they may
not show a pre-publication version of a story in any format,
video or audio segment, or any other piece of journalism to
anyone outside the editorial staff.
• There will be rare exceptions, but only an appropriate
member of senior editorial management is authorized to
grant such waivers, and only then on a case-by-case basis.
• As a general rule, reporters should not tell sources when a
story will be published or posted on-line, and they should
never lead any company or other organization to believe
they can expect a cover.

10. 8) Editors alone are responsible for
content.
• Good ideas may come from all kinds of sources—business
staff members, other editors and the industry. But editors
must evaluate those ideas and determine how best to
achieve our mission of helping readers do their jobs more
effectively.
• Publishers, sales and marketing executives, and heads of
business units shall have no direct hand in choosing,
generating or directly influencing content intended for
publication in print products or distribution on-line.
• Decisions about the choice of covers, as well as what to
publish and the timing belong to the editor-in-chief and
managing editor. Furthermore, those decisions are subject
to change at any time, based on news judgment and other
journalistic considerations.

11. 8) Editors alone are responsible for
content (continued)
• Publishers or their equivalent do not have license to influence
editorial content in any way. Nor should they make commitments
on behalf of editors to cover or write about any subject.
• It is not appropriate for publishers or sales staff to solicit stories
from industry sources or to dictate the content of stories.
• Editors should not release the names of sources contacted for a
story, and sales staff should avoid contacting sources who have
been interviewed. Sales contact should be addressed to company
marketing managers.
• Hypertext links that appear within the editorial content of a Web
site, including those within graphics, should be placed at the sole
discretion of editors.
• Web Links in editorial content should should never be paid for by
advertisers.

12. 8) Editors alone are responsible for
content (continued)
• Editors should control all editorial digital
content – including Web site, blogs, electronic
newsletters, and digital magazines.
• Standards of accuracy, attribution, fairness
and balance applying to print publications also
apply to a publication’s Internet or other
digital presence.

13. 9) Relationship with Advertisers
• Advertisers and potential advertisers must
never receive favorable editorial treatment
because of their economic value to the
operation in general or its parent company.
• Non-advertisers should not receive
unfavorable treatment or be excluded from
articles because they do not advertise.

14. 9) Relationship with Advertisers
(continued)
• Reporters and editors are encouraged to have
a productive working relationship with
advertising sales staff and other colleagues on
the business side. However, if editors
accompany sales personnel on high-level calls,
it should be with the clear mutual
understanding that the meeting will result in
no preferential editorial treatment.

15. Special Ad Sections
• Publications must make a clear distinction between
editorial and advertising in print and online. Editorial-
looking sections or pages that are not produced by a
magazine’s editors are not editorial content.
• They should be labeled “Advertisement,” “Special
Advertising Section” or “Promotion” at the top of every
page in type as prominent as the magazine’s normal
body type.
• The layout, design, typeface and/or style of special
advertising sections or custom publishing products
must be distinctly different from those of the
publication itself.

16. Special Ad Sections (continued)
• Special advertising sections in print and online
must not be slugged in the publication’s cover,
nor included in the table of contents.
• In general, the publication’s name or logo may
not appear as any part of the headlines or text,
except in connection with the magazine’s own
products or services.
• On the Web, advertiser-sponsored content must
be clearly identified as such and not be designed
to appear as regular editorial content.

17. “No touching.”
• Great care should be used online, as with
printed material, to avoid placement of
advertisements in or near editorial content in
a way that could confuse readers.
Advertisements should not be placed or sold
for placement immediately before or after
editorial pages that discuss, show or promote
the advertised products.

18. Editorial review
• In order for a publication’s chief editor to be
able to monitor compliance with these
guidelines, every effort must be made to show
all advertising pages, sections and their
placement to the editor far enough in advance
to allow for necessary changes.

19. Editorial staffing and titles
• A magazine’s editorial staff members should
not be involved in producing advertising in
that magazine.
• Advertising and marketing staff and their
consultants should not use titles that imply
editorial involvement (e.g., merchandising
editor).

20. 11) Gifts and Honoraria
• Editors should explicitly discourage gifts from editorial
information sources, advertisers and prospective
advertisers, public relations personnel, or agents. If gift
giving is an established custom or is otherwise difficult to
avoid completely – as generally is the case in B-to-B
journalism – the following guidelines apply:
• Modest, souvenir-type gifts commonly given out at press
affairs or conferences, or distributed to large groups of
editors or individual editors during traditional gift-giving
seasons, are generally acceptable.
• Editors and reporters should accept no monetary payment
or lavish gifts for making speeches, participating in industry
events, judging contests or making appearances at
functions held by companies or associations they cover.

21. 10) Distinguish Between News and
Opinion
• Show the distinction between news stories
and editorials, columns and other opinion
pieces in print and online.

22. 12) Meals, travel and entertainment
• As a general rule, reporters and editors shall accept no payment
from any source other than their employer for travel and hotel
expenses incurred in the course of performing editorial duties.
• However, B-to-B publishing includes relationships and practices that
differ from business-to consumer publications in certain areas. In
cases of group press functions, presentations and other events
involving representatives from multiple publications, reporters and
editors are authorized to accept travel, hotel and meal expenses
from sponsoring companies and associations.
• Reporters and editors generally should pick up the tab or split the
cost of meals purchased in the course of discussing editorial
matters with a source, a public relations representative or an
advertiser. Otherwise, they may accept lunch or dinner only from a
source with whom they are likely to meet often enough to return
the favor.

23. 13) Other Employment
• Editors and other editorial staff members should not
write, work or consult for, or otherwise contribute to,
competing publications or their companies, or Web
sites, except as permitted by established and
authorized business relationships.
• In doing any freelance work, editors should inform the
editor, and abide by their applicable rules.
• Editors should not hold other non-journalism positions
that could represent a conflict of interest with an
editorial position.

24. 14) Feedback Mechanisms
• Editors should ensure their publications and Web sites
are accessible to readers and treat feedback
responsibly, if published.
• Editors should make every effort to verify the
authenticity of letters to the editor, and identify the
letter’s author except when disclosing the author’s
name may cause demonstrable harm to the writer.
• Corrections, clarifications and retractions should be
printed in the next available issue, in a regular,
consistent space that is easy for readers to find in the
front of the publication or, in the case of a Web site,
the home page.

25. 15) Personal Conduct
• Reporters and editors may not use their
company affiliation – including their business
card or business stationery – for personal
advantage in any way. The sole exception is
participation in affiliated relationships with
various nonprofit cultural institutions.
• Outside of this exception, reporters and
editors are forbidden to court favoritism in
any way based on their company affiliation.

26. 16) Use Focus Groups Rather than
Editorial Boards
• We strongly encourage editors to gather industry
feedback through focus groups rather than editorial
boards. One or two focus groups per year can be
scheduled, inviting a different group of industry
participants each time to give the editor feedback
about how well the magazine’s content helps them do
their jobs more effectively.
• In cases where the publication has a relationship with
an association, the association’s representatives in a
focus group should be selected for editorial reasons,
not to further business relationships.

27. 17) Shades of Grey
• In situations involving journalistic ethics that
are not “black and white” and may be open to
interpretation, the editorial director is
encouraged to discuss the circumstances with
senior editorial management.