ETHICS: the gray area

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ETHICS the gray area

• media arts full of ethical dimensions
• We have little or no guidance
• We all have sense of what is right or wrong
• No agreed upon code of ethics

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A Profession, not Just A Business

• A calling
• Skills are special
• Knowledge is special
• Power
• Implies a canon or ethic
• Spirit of public service
• Make a difference, not just money

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Ethical Dimensions

• Ownership and Finance
• Takeovers
• Leveraged buyouts
• Personnel Management
• Labor force abuse
• Low pay--esp entry levels
• Fire for expediency

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Ethical Dimensions

• Programming
• Subject matter
• Sex
• Violence
• Reality programming
• No substance

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Ethical Dimensions

• Community and Audience Relations
• Disappearance of public interest
• Commitment to local programs
• Image or real commitment

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ETHICS

• Rules of living you impose on yourself , or
  society or profession imposes
• Be fair, truthful, compassionate, accurate,
  responsible....but what does this mean ?
• Internal philosophy of what is right or wrong or
  acceptable

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ETHICS and LAW

• LAW
• clear guidelines
• codified
• universal
• external authority
• specific penalties

• ETHICS
• not clear
• highly individual
• varies widely
• internal philosophy
• few, if any, penalties

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ETHICAL GUIDES

• 1. Rules
• Religion
• Family
• Profession
• Natural Law
• Rules Change
• Whose Rules ?
• Conflicts ?

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ETHICAL GUIDES

• 2. Situation Ethics
• judge based on the good to come from action
• who is the judge ?
• media or the public
• what is good ?
• from whose perspective

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ETHICAL GUIDES

• 3. Character
• Conscience...the law in our hearts
• Try to do what is right

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POTTER BOX
JUDGMENT
SITUATION
LOYALTIES
VALUES
PRINCIPLE
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Values

• Violence is repugnant
• Guns should be banned
• People kill, guns dont
• The world is dangerous
• Dont be preachy
• Its our right to bear arms
• The media should be neutral
• Showing body insensitive

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Principles

• The publics right to know
• Tell the truth
• Right to privacy
• Do the greatest good
• Be fair

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Loyalties

• The profession
• Society
• Advertisers
• The victim family
• The truth
• The publisher

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ISSUES

• Obligation to truth
• accuracy
• check sources
• research
• show program to client or affected individual
• Decision Making
• harm no one
• fairness
• quality

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ISSUES

• Limited vs Expanded Picture
• look at the big picture
• not just profits
• greater understanding
• Rights of Individual vs Good of Society
• privacy
• intrusion
• releases/permissions