Media Ethics

Radford University / MSTD 400 / Media Law and Ethics

Bill Kovarik, Ph.D.

 

News magazine covers, 1994 --Did Time Magazine act unethically when it darkened the face of OJ Simpson to make him seem more sinister? Was Newsweek's headline an imputation of guilt?

What is the ethical role of the press in covering hotly controversial people and subjects?

ETHICS involves what is right, equitable, fair, just, dutiful and/or responsible.

Ethics in media is not an oxymoron.

All professionals have specific ethical codes based on long tradition. Probably the best known is the Hippocratic Oath in which a physician vows to "do no harm."

Reporters, editors, broadcasters, advertising executives and others in the mass media also have ethical codes to guide them. They are ethically bound to seek the truth, to act independently and to serve the public interest. Media professionals who break the code - even if they break no law - may be fired from their jobs. People with a strong sense of ethics find their careers enhanced.

Although unethical behavior may seem to help people rise more quickly in their fields, such behavior often ends in disaster. Sometimes editors will ask subordinates to do things that are unethical either to test them or to find an office scapegoat. In either case, the practical approach (question the order, discuss the order in the light of ethical codes (see below), get the order in writing, protest to a supervisor, begin looking for other jobs) is usually sufficient. In rare cases, the old newspaper saying "edit with your hat on" might apply. The saying means you should be prepared to quit a job if unethical behavior is required. (The idea being that you're so ready to leave that you don't even take your hat off).

Generally, a discussion of ethics involves at least three major elements or sources of ethical guidance: ethical traditions, moral principles, and ultimate loyalties.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Recent professional issues, ethical traditions and philosophies, professional ethical guidelines (all on this page) and police and criminal reporting ethics (on another page).

Recent issues


Ethical traditions

Philosophical traditions

-- Greek philosophical traditions -- At the center is the value of using human reason to get beyond appeals to authoritity or circular religious arguments.

-- Utilitarian, or consequence ethics, the greatest good for the greatest number, John Stuart Mill and many other Enlightenment philosophers. However, taken to its extreme, the greatest good for the majority might be bad for a minority.

-- Duty Ethics. Another Enlightenment philosopher, Immanuel Kant, said that we should do what would be right if everyone did it. He called this the categorical imperative.

-- John Rawls, Theory of Justice (conceived as a new alternative to utilitarian and duty ethics; Social choices should be made in non-selfserving way from an unbiased original position or "veil of ignorance.").

Religious traditions

-- Buddhist -- Eightfold path: (Right views, Right aspirations, Right speech, Right conduct, Right livelihood, Right effort, Rright mindfulness, andRiight meditational attainment).

-- Christian -- Golden Rule (Love your neighbor; Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.)

-- Hindu -- Ahimsa, do no harm to any living thing

-- Jewish -- Ten Commandments (also Christian and Islamic)

-- Islam -- "Surrender" to the will of God

Note that there is a great deal of overlap and interaction between these faiths. For example, Chistianity isn't the only (or even necessariy the original) source of the Golden Rule -- it is often found in other religions. Also note that not all religions are represented here. Other major religions include Confucianism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism and Wicca.

Also, see Robert Cavalier's Online Guide to Ethics and Philosophy.

Moral principles (usually derived from ethical traditions)

When making these difficult moral choices, there are many places to turn for guidance, including: first, your own conscience, and in addition, your religion, your professional society, your company policy, and governmental laws and regulations. According to Gerald Corey, Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions, (NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1999), some basic principles found in ethical tradtions are:

-- Autonomy / people make their own choices without manipulation

-- Nonmaleficence / do no harm

-- Benificence / help people

-- Justice / fairness, treat all people alike

-- Fidelity / honor commitment to those you serve

-- Veracity / truthfulness

 

Ethical Orientation
(aka "ultimate loyalty")

Attributes of ethical orientation
Communitarian Libertarian
Egalitarian Elitist
Altrusitic Individualistic
Social Conservative Social Liberal
Economic Liberal Economic Conservative

 

Ethical orientation or ultimate loyalty is a fundamental basis through which individuals and cultures view ethical behavior. The question is whether we are oriented towards the greater good of the community or the greater good of individuals? Who bears the ultimate value -- the individual or the community?

Often this is psychological: Outgoing people may be more concerned with their communities, while introspective people are more concerned with personal liberties. The question is also cultural: Eastern cultures are more community oriented, valuing harmony over individualism, while western cultures (esp. the US) are well known as cherishing individual liberties (often at the expense of social harmony).

In either case, these orientations are not mutually exclusive. Nearly all people and societies have at least some concern for both individuals and communities.

Either of the two orientations, taken to the extreme, can produce social disfunctions. An extremely libertarian society may have great inequities in wealth and resources. An extremely communitarian society may stifle freedom and initiative.

 

Professional Ethics

In both professional and personal areas, we may talk about Prescriptive ethics: (What you should do) and Proscriptive ethics: (What you should not do).

In terms of Prescriptive ethics for the media as a whole, probably the best overview comes from Hutchins Commission for Freedom of the Press. It found five "requirements" for the media:

Other Ethics Links

Questions of Taste?

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