Ethical Principles of Journalism Communication: Media Convergence as a Transforming Factor

The advent and development of new types and forms of media led to the development of ethical principles of journalism in the second half of the 20th century. However, the process of media convergence, which began at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries, has led to global changes taking place at all stages from the creation to the distribution of content. These changes are associated with a serious transformation of the ethical principles of journalism. The authors of this article conclude that further degradation of the ethical values of the media is inevitable, and directly related to certain trends that are inextricably linked with the process of media convergence. These trends are an increase in the share of user-generated content in the media; an overabundance of content that has influenced the media business, giving priority to the speed of content delivery and its clickbait potential; an increase in branded content; and the development of data journalism, which itself raises new ethical issues.