2. Making Sense of Media Media Ethics

3. Ethical Issues in Media History: Print Era Should printers produce and sell Bibles?Should printers produce and sell Bibles? Free Land in the New World?Free Land in the New World? Reporting theReporting theAmericanRevolution?

4. Twentieth Century Issues Penny Press: too sensational?Penny Press: too sensational? –Great Moon Hoax (1835) first of many such scandals Yellow Journalism: “You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war.” (W.R. Hearst to Frederic Remington)Yellow Journalism: “You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war.” (W.R. Hearst to Frederic Remington)

5. Ethical Issues in Media History: Electronic Era Dr. John Brinkley NAB Code of Ethics (1929)Dr. John Brinkley NAB Code of Ethics (1929) Pancho Villa MPC (1930)Pancho Villa MPC (1930) NAB Code extended into TV:NAB Code extended into TV: –Elvis Presley’s hips –The $64,000 Question –Payola (back to radio)

6. Political/Ethical Issues Blacklisting under the Smith Act (1946-1957)Blacklisting under the Smith Act (1946-1957) Spiro Agnew charges bias against network news (1970s)Spiro Agnew charges bias against network news (1970s) Janet Cooke: “Jimmy’s World” (1980)Janet Cooke: “Jimmy’s World” (1980) Newsweek: bogus Hitler diary (1983)Newsweek: bogus Hitler diary (1983) CNN and Time: Operation Tailwind (1998)CNN and Time: Operation Tailwind (1998)

7. Codes of Ethics Absolute Codes:Absolute Codes: –Prescriptive –Proscriptive Situational EthicsSituational Ethics –Rational decision –Within given situation

8. Ethics on the Internet Pornography and hate sitesPornography and hate sites The Starr ReportThe Starr Report College term papersCollege term papers Online medical prescriptonsOnline medical prescriptons Testing reliability of information postedTesting reliability of information posted Any others?Any others?

9. Philosophers on Ethics 1.Aristotle’s golden mean - midpoint between 2 extremes

10. 2. Machiavellian Ethics a.the end justifies the means b. personal success is an end in itself

11. 3. Kant’s Categorical Imperative a. Principles that will hold true in all situations b. Principles that apply universally

12. 4. Mill’s Utilitarian Principle a. Greatest happiness principle b. The greatest good for the greatest number

13. 5. Rawls’ Veil of Ignorance a.Ethical behavior only possible if everyone is treated equally without regard for social stature or economic class b. Metaphoric veil of ignorance will prevent recognizing social distinctions

14. What complicates ethical decisions? Conflicting loyalties in media practitioners:Conflicting loyalties in media practitioners: –Personal and professional codes of ethics –Personal loyalty to the company –Sense of responsibility to society Bias or potential bias:Bias or potential bias: –Political bias –Stereotyping Conflicts of interestConflicts of interest

15. Workshop You are a reporter with a choice of publishing one of two articles. One article criticizes someone you are not particularly fond of, for their voting record in Congress. The other article reveals an undisclosed scandalous fact about a good friend who is also a Senator. You ask a fellow reporter, who also happens to be a mutual friend of the Senator, for advice. She thinks you shouldn't report the scandal you have uncovered. What decision would you make and what system of ethics would your decision reflect?