Chapter 15 MEDIA ETHICS: Understanding Media Morality Chapter Outline History Ethical Principles Controversies Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Brief History of Media Ethics The Print Era In the days of the early republic, people’s view of ethics probably depended on their political orientation. The press was truly partisan, and the advancement of one’s political point of view was often more important that a search for the truth. In the 1830s, some critics were upset that hoaxes (purposeful deceptions) were often used to sell newspapers. The Fake News of the day Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Brief History of Media Ethics Many of the techniques of the 19th Century yellow journalism were ethically questionable. Sensational slanting of the news. Publishing lurid headlines. William Randolph Hearst’s 1895 incitement for the United States’ entry into the Spanish American War. Theodore Roosevelt believed investigative reporters were unethical when they uncovered corruption while ignoring the good things that government accomplished. Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Brief History of Media Ethics The Motion Picture Code of 1930 specifically limited the sex and violence that could be portrayed in movies. In 1929 the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and banned commercials directed at children. established a code of ethics that limited sex and violence in programs The NAB code was found to be in violation of antitrust laws and was abandoned in 1983. Payola was both an ethical and legal scandal in the radio and recording industries. Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Brief History of Media Ethics Blacklisting was a scandal of the 1950s. Media executives caved in to the demands of those who wanted to keep suspected communist sympathizers from working in media and immediately fired anyone listed. In 2003 Jayson Blair, a former New York Times reporter, resigned from the newspaper after being found to have plagiarized 36 of 73 articles and fabricating other stories over several years. The editors of the paper called the incident “a low point in the 152-year history of the newspaper.” Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Brief History of Media Ethics The digital era has ushered in a rethinking of media responsibility that might be called “the ethics of unlimited information.” Pornography and hate sites flourish on the Web Several 24-hour news services have shown that no information, no matter how lurid, can be hidden from children. The new media have led to a reexamination of various established practices. Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Basic Ethical Orientations Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding Today’s Media Ethics Basic Ethical Orientations Absolutist ethics guidelines describe the position that there is either a right or wrong response for every ethical decision. These rules are often based on religious ideals, and are often rigidly enforced. Prescriptive codes stipulate specific behaviors to be followed. Proscriptive codes stress the things that should not be done. Many news organizations have a hard and fast two-source rule which states that nothing will be published as fact without a second independent confirmation. Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding Today’s Media Ethics Categorical imperative: Developed by German philosopher Immanuel Kant. John Rawls: American philosopher who stated that ethical behavior is only possible when media practitioners wear a veil of ignorance that prevents them from recognizing distinctions of social stature or economic class. Situation ethics are where ethical choices can be made rationally without a rigid adherence to a predetermined set of rules. Situation ethics are sometimes called relativistic ethics. Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding Today’s Media Ethics Aristotle’s golden mean. John Stuart Mill’s utilitarian principle: Ethical behavior is that which is useful in generating the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Machiavellian ethics: Encapsulated in the expression “the ends justify the means.” Enlightened self-interest: The idea that if you do what is right for yourself it will also probably be right for the rest of the world in the long run. Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethical Philosophies Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding Today’s Media Ethics Conflicting Loyalties There is a wide range of conflicting loyalties that influence the ethical decisions of media practitioners. Duty to personal conscience. Duty to one’s organization or firm. Duty to one’s profession or art. Duty to society. How does someone handle “fear of the future?” Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Controversies In entertainment: Filmmakers may seek to tell an artistic truth rather than a historical truth in movies. In advertising: Advertisers want a truth that depicts the satisfaction the product will bring to the consumer. In the news media: Journalists are expected to present an objective truth. However, news gatherers do not have the means to discover truth that scientists, academics, or legal officials do. Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Controversies A conflict of interest occurs when some outside activity of a media professional influences the reality that is presented to the public. Monetary conflicts of interest are often the most controversial; junkets and freebies put a reporter’s objectivity into question. Media practitioners are accountable to corporate owners, editors, internal censors, news councils, competitors, and citizen’s groups. WHO is the media accountable to? Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Controversies In the 1960s and 1970s, the television networks maintained large and powerful departments known as standards and practices to oversee the ethics of their programming. Some newspapers have an ombudsman to oversee other employee’s ethical behavior and answer reader complaints. News councils are independent agencies whose mission is to objectively monitor media performance. Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Controversies Media people are also accountable to citizens’ groups, those members of the general population who form associations to exert influence on the media. Media practitioners call them “pressure groups.” Copyright ® 2012. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.