Media Ethics at Work: True Stories from Young Professionals PDF
Preview Media Ethics at Work: True Stories from Young Professionals
Media Ethics at Work Second Edition 2 The editors would like to dedicate this edition of Media Ethics at Work to the memory of media professor Daniel Reimold who died August 20, 2015. He and his contributions to student journalism will be missed. 3 Media Ethics at Work True Stories from Young Professionals Second Edition Lee Anne Peck University of Northern Colorado Guy S. Reel Winthrop University Editors 4 FOR INFORMATION: CQ Press An imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc. 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, California 91320 E-mail: [email protected] SAGE Publications Ltd. 1 Oliver’s Yard 55 City Road London, EC1Y 1SP United Kingdom SAGE Publications India Pvt. Ltd. B 1/I 1 Mohan Cooperative Industrial Area Mathura Road, New Delhi 110 044 India SAGE Publications Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd. 3 Church Street #10-04 Samsung Hub Singapore 049483 Copyright © 2017 by CQ Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc. CQ Press is a registered trademark of Congressional Quarterly Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data 5 Names: Peck, Lee A., editor. | Reel, Guy S., editor. Title: Media ethics at work : true stories from young professionals / Lee Anne Peck, University of Northern Colorado, Guy S. Reel, Winthrop University, editors. Description: Second edition. | Thousand Oaks, California : CQ Press, [2016] | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2016010217 | ISBN 9781506315294 (pbk. : alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Journalistic ethics. | Mass media—Moral and ethical aspects. | Journalistic ethics—Case studies. | Reporters and reporting—Case studies. Classification: LCC PN4756 .M355 2016 | DDC 174/.907—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016010217 This book is printed on acid-free paper. Acquisitions Editor: Terri Accomazzo Editorial Assistant: Erik Helton Production Editor: Olivia Weber-Stenis Copy Editor: Tina Hardy Typesetter: C&M Digitals (P) Ltd. Proofreader: Theresa Kay Indexer: Hyde Park Publishing Services Cover Designer: Karine Hovesepian Marketing Manager: Ashlee Blunk 6 Contents About the Editors About the Contributors Preface Introduction SECTION I FOUNDATIONS 1. Tools for Ethical Decision Making Terms to Know Codes for the Media Professions Philosophical Theories Socrates Plato Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics Kant’s Duty-Based Ethics Utilitarianism and J. S. Mill’s Principle of Utility Ross’ Prima Facie and Actual Duties John Rawls’ Veil of Ignorance Sissela Bok’s Test of Publicity An Ethics of Care Ethical Decision Making and Religion Concluding Thoughts Bibliography 2. The Morally Developed Media Professional Moral Development in Theory Who’s Who in Moral Development Theory The Early Stage of Moral Development The Conventional Stage of Moral Development The Later Stage of Moral Development Moral Development in Practice One Young Reporter’s Wake-Up Call The Moral Development Perspective Becoming a Media Professional Resolving Sara’s Dilemma Exercise Your Own Moral Development Bibliography SECTION II HONESTY 3. Confronting Others’ Violations: The Case of the Manipulated Photo Moral Development in Theory TOOL FOR THOUGHT: The Potter Box The Challenge: Speak Up or Stay Silent? 7 The Response: Seeking Counsel TOOL FOR ACTION: NPPA Ethics Code The Aftermath: Professional Standards Defended Thinking It Through What If? Go Online for More TOPICS: Photo Manipulation, Responsibility for Others’ Behavior, Upholding Professional Versus Individual Standards 4. Political Espionage or Politics as Usual? The Case of Political Campaign Tactics The Situation: A High-Profile Political Campaign The Challenge: Misrepresentation and Diversion The Response: Sticking to “My Moral Compass” TOOL FOR THOUGHT: PRSA’s Code of Ethics The Aftermath: Politically Aware Thinking It Through What If? Go Online for More TOPICS: Ethics and the “Political Game,” Misrepresentation and Diversions in Campaigns, Balancing Advocacy and Honesty 5. Focus Group Dilemma: The Case of the Compromised Tagline The Situation: Rebranding a Nonprofit The Challenge: The Boss Is Manipulating the Campaign The Response: Silence Becomes Dread TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Two Codes of Marketing Research Standards The Aftermath: Learning How to Speak Up Thinking It Through What If? Go Online for More TOPICS: Accountability in Market Research, Dealing with Others’ Unethical Behavior, Working with Consultants, Seeing the Bigger Picture 6. OMG! This Band Is SOOO GR8! The Case of the Phony Teenager The Situation: “You Want Me to Do What?” The Challenge: Serving the Client While Staying Honest The Response: Refusing to Lie TOOL FOR THOUGHT: The Potter Box and the Navran Model The Aftermath: Honor Upheld, Business Lost Thinking It Through What If? Go Online for More 8 TOPICS: Online Deception, Social Media, Protecting the Vulnerable, Standing Up for One’s Beliefs 7. Identifying Suspects: The Case of the Waco Shooting The Situation: Motorcycle Gangs, Police with Guns and a Shootout The Challenge: To Report the Names—or Not? The Response: Use the Names The Aftermath: When Competitive Pressures Drive Newsroom Decisions TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Minimize Harm Thinking It Through Now Try This TOPICS: Social Media, Naming Crime Victims, Competitive Pressures, Getting Information First 8. Solo Judgment Calls: The Case of the One-Person “TV Crew” The Situation: A Tornado and Its Aftermath The Challenge: To Re-create or Not to Re-create TOOL FOR ACTION: Using File Footage and VNRs The Response: Reality, with a Tweak The Aftermath: More Stories, More Lessons Thinking It Through TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Guidelines for Ethical Video and Audio Editing What If? Go Online for More TOPICS: Re-creating Moments, Manipulating a Shot, Using Video Handout Material, Developing/Maintaining Standards When Working Alone 9. Seeking Answers for Students: The Case of the Undercover Reporter The Situation: Inconsistent Rules on Transfer Credit The Challenge: Gathering Information from Difficult Sources TOOL FOR ACTION: Rules of Engagement for Deception The Response: Pretending to Be Someone Else TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Mill and Avoiding Rationalization The Aftermath: Publication and Policy Changes Thinking It Through What If? Go Online for More TOPICS: Deception, Transparency About Process, Balancing Ends and Means 10. Prior Restraint: The Case of “See Below the Fold” The Situation: Classroom Encounters of an Unusual Kind The Challenge: Journalists or Not Journalists? 9 The Response: What Should They Do Now? TOOL FOR ACTION: Seeking Truth and (Some) Independence The Aftermath: “Part of Something Greater” Thinking It Through What If? Go Online for More TOPICS: Censorship and Prior Restraint, Administrators vs. Editors in Collegiate Journalism, Taking a Stand on Principle 11. Face to Face With the Facts: The Case of the Disagreeing Sources The Situation: Drowning in Facts The Challenge: Include Everything or Just Some Things? TOOL FOR ACTION: SPJ’s Mandate to Minimize Harm and Sissela Bok’s Test The Response: What Should I Do? The Aftermath: Readers Respond TOOL FOR THOUGHT: The Veil of Ignorance Thinking It Through What If? Go Online for More TOPICS: Maintaining Objectivity, Evaluating Competing Versions of a Story, Minimizing Harm, Focusing on Facts SECTION III SENSITIVITY 12. Sensitivity and Social Media: The Case of the Student Death The Situation: Crowdsourcing a Death The Challenge: How to Report a Cause of Death TOOL FOR ACTION: Using Facebook and Other Social Networking Sites The Response: Getting the Stories TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Carol Gilligan’s Ethics of Care The Aftermath: Taking Professional Action TOOL FOR ACTION: Using Social Media Thinking It Through Go Online for More What If TOPICS: Seeking Information from Social Media, Damage Control After a Mistake 13. THE CASE OF ETHICS IN IMMERSION JOURNALISM: THE WHITE NOISE The Situation: “Why Are You Writing About This?” The Challenge: Balancing Ethics and Protecting Sources The Response: Giving Voice to Those Seldom Heard TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Carol Gilligan’s Ethics of Care 10
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