The Society of Professional Journalists, an elite conglomeration of media power-brokers, met in in 1996 to discuss and enact a code of media ethics that aims to ensure that journalists perform their work while adhering to high standards of behavior and decision-making. These canons of journalism serve as a sort of self-regulation stemming from numerous lawsuits over libel and other indiscretions from reputable journalists like Ann Coulter and Geraldo Rivera.