Media ethics Applying theory to practice Media ethics

Media ethics Applying theory to practice

Media ethics • This branch of media studies concerns itself with what media practitioners and regulators (and still others in some cases) should do – What is right and what is wrong? • Compare to empirical social science that attempts to identify what media are doing – Behavior – Effects

Moral decisions • Decisions made by managers, practitioners, regulators, etc. in their professional/occupational roles all are inflected with moral choice – Most are made without much awareness of ethical implications • Issues are ‘settled’ • Some decisions lead to self-analysis – Journalists are more likely than advertisers, fiction producers to evaluate the ethical dimensions of stories, etc.

Moral/ethical theory • • • Utilitarian v. deontological ethics Rights v. duties Process v. consequentialist ethics Individual v. collective Universal v. professional/role-playing

Theory and common practice • The most common approach to ethics in media is based on a utilitarian/rational selfinterest model – Produce the highest ratio of ‘pleasure’ to ‘pain’ – Market economics is thought to be most effective economic system for furthering this end – “The public’s right to know”

Christians • Christians argues for a duties-based ethic for media professionals • Potter Box for application in particular cases – How does Christians argue for his view—what does he see as the main problems behind utilitarian/individualistic ethics? – What new problems are generated? – What previous problems remain?

Practical application • In all events/actions there are multiple factors and applicable theories, implications, etc. – Makes the computation of total good produced, etc. pretty much impossible • In the absence of careful critical thought it is easy for practitioners to justify their actions based on at least some related moral theory or ethical principle – “Give the public what it wants”

Examples • Objective news reporting – Probably the most common ethic stated in your short responses • Violence and sex in TV programming • Universal service for the Internet

Figure 8. 2 Equality as a media performance principle, together with related concepts Mc. Quail's Mass Communication. Theory

Figure 8. 3 Component criteria of objectivity (Westerstahl, 1983) Mc. Quail's Mass Communication. Theory

Figure 8. 5 Two accountability models compared Mc. Quail's Mass Communication. Theory

Figure 8. 6 Lines of accountability between media and external agents in relation to publication Mc. Quail's Mass Communication. Theory

“Potter Box”