Reporter Commandments

Here are the 10 Citizen Reporter Commandments as envisaged by me:

1. Thou shalt not spell words incorrectly
2. The word processor and Internet shall be for you a means of communion between people and not for spam or self-aggrandizement
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with editors who are having a bad day
4. Be charitable and help your fellow citizen reporter in need, especially victims of writer’s block
5. Words shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin such as in the use of vulgar language
6. Charitably convince the young citizen reporter and not so young citizen reporter not to write when they are not in a fitting condition to do so such as when feeling verbose
7. Support the families of citizen reporter victims such as those who have been rejected by editors.
8. Bring plagiarizing citizen reporters and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so they can undergo the liberating experience of being threatened with a lawsuit
9. On the page, protect the more vulnerable reader from becoming bored by your words by writing more succinctly
10. Feel responsible toward readers. Without them you are but a tree that falls alone in a forest: silent.

These commandments, in whole or in part, do not supersede the OhmyNews Reporter's Code of Ethics which can be reviewed by registered OhmyNews reporters in the FAQ section of this Web site and are as follows:
1. The citizen reporter must work in the spirit that "all citizens are reporters," and plainly identify himself as a citizen reporter while covering stories.
2. The citizen reporter does not spread false information. He does not write articles based on groundless assumptions or predictions.
3. The citizen reporter does not use abusive, vulgar, or otherwise offensive language constituting a personal attack.
4. The citizen reporter does not damage the reputation of others by composing articles that infringe on personal privacy.
5. The citizen reporter uses legitimate methods to gather information, and clearly informs his sources of the intention to cover a story.
6. The citizen reporter does not use his position for unjust gain, or otherwise seek personal profit.
7. The citizen reporter does not exaggerate or distort facts on behalf of himself or any organization to which he belongs.
8. The citizen reporter apologizes fully and promptly for coverage that is wrong or otherwise inappropriate.