Media Ethics

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Media Ethics
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1947 Hutchinson Commission Guidelines

• Based on 2 ideas
• Whomever enjoys a special measure of freedom,
  like that of a professional journalist, has an
  obligation to society to use their freedom and
  powers responsibly.
• Societys welfare is paramount, more important
  than individual careers or even individual rights

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The Guidelines

• Present meaningful news, accurate separated
  from opinion.
• Serve as a forum for the exchg of comment
  criticism to expand access to diverse pts of
  view.
• Project a representative picture of the
  constituent groups in society by avoiding
  stereotypes and incl minority groups,
• Clarify the goals values of the society.
• Give broad coverage of what is known abt society.

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Corporate Ethics

• Corporate Responsibility Model
• Give back to the community
• Make charitable contributions
• Serve w/community orgs
• Make the community a better place to live

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Making Ethics Work

• Those who create professional media content need
  to consider the impact of their actions on
  society.
• Compliance w/media ethics is voluntary

6
Ombudsman

• Represents the reader, alerts the newspaper to
  public complaints, investigates them, and
  recommends action when warranted.
• Fewer than 40 US Newspapers have an ombudsman.

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Ethical Issues - Journalism

• Ethical limits on free speech
• Libel Harmful and untruthful criticism by media
  that intends to damage someone.
• Balanced by medias watchdog role
• Libel is written slander is spoken.
• Public safety fire in a crowded theatre

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Ethical Issues -- Journalism

• Obscenity material where the dominant theme
  taken as a whole appeals to prurient interest.
• Roth v United States (1957)
• Whether, to the average person applying
  contemporary community standards, the dominant
  theme of the material taken as a whole appeals to
  prurient interest.
• Miller v California (1973)
• Bans printing/sale of works which portray sexual
  conduct in a patently offensive way, and which,
  taken as a whole, do not have serious literary,
  artistic, political, or scientific value.

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Ethical Issues -- Journalism

• Indecency material that is patently offensive
  as measured by contemporary community standards.
• Rules apply differently to broadcast TV vs
  Cable/Satellite TV and Satellite radio.
• On the internet?
• Childrens Internet Protection Act
• Schools Libraries ? filtering software if they
  receive federal funds

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Ethical Issues -- Journalism

• Accuracy
• Evidence
• Quotes
• Hypothetical individuals
• Create/Manipulate Photos
• Jeopardizing a scoop
• Check facts
• 2 sources must confirm

11
Ethical Issues -- Journalism

• Fairness
• Choices about what to cover.
• Choices about being unfairly critical of the
  subject of a story.
• Choices about disclosing relationships that may
  be a conflict of interest.

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Ethical Issues -- Journalism

• Confidentiality
• Protecting the confidentiality of sources
• Source Attribution citing sources to reflect
  their credibility without revealing their
  identity.

13
Ethical Issues -- Journalism

• Sensationalism
• May affect legal processes?
• Dramatization
• Break the law?
• Can offend!

14
Ethical Issues -- Journalism

• Bribery
• Junket an expense-paid trip intended to
  influence media coverage.
• Freebies

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Ethical Issues - Journalism

• Commericalism
• If it bleeds, it leads
• Staging visuals?
• Pressure to improve ratings
• Sensationalism during sweeps
• Press Release Journalism

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Ethical Issues - Entertainment

• Payola
• When record companies give gifts/bribes to key
  DJs to get their music aired.
• Plugola
• When companies give gifts or products to get a
  certain product promoted within a broadcast.

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Ethical Issues - Advertising

• Harmful products
• Promoting them?!?
• Product Placement
• More acceptable b/c of DVR
• Should advertisers be hidden persuaders?