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Ethics in Broadcasting
Nov 15, 2013
ETHICS IN GENERAL
What are ethics?
Ethics
Greek. Ethos or ethicos
o Character/custom
Study or assessment of a person’s or a group’s standards of right and wrong, and of good and bad
Concerned with social norms
Morality/ Moral
Latin. Mos or moris
o Customs
Well based standards of right and wrong, that prescribes what humans ought to do in relation to his
duties, principles, specific virtues or benefits to society
o DUTIES
Behavior expected of persons who occupy certain roles
i.e the obligations taken on when assuming a role or a profession
o VIRTUES
Qualities that define what a good person is; moral excellence
o PRINCIPLES
Fundamental truths that form the basis for behavior, “kinds of action that are right or
obligatory”
o BENEFITS TO SOCIETY
Actions that produce the greatest good for the greatest number
Different societies have their own respective notions of what is right or wrong in their own contexts
Bernard Gert’s
10 Core Ethical Rules of Common Morality
1. Don’t kill 6. Don’t deceive
2. Don’t cause pain 7. Keep your promise
3. Don’t disable 8. Don’t cheat
4. Don’t deprive of freedom 9. Obey the law
5. Don’t deprive of pleasure 10. Do your duty
Ethical Principles
“Do No Harm” principle
Principle of fidelity
Principle of autonomy
Principle of confidentiality
Principle of lawfulness
Consequential
Moral rightness of actions is determined by the consequences or the results
EGOISM
UTILITARIANISM
Non-consequential
Moral rightness of an action may be determined by other factors aside from its consequences or results
KANTIAN ETHICS
JUSTICE
Aristotle
Robert Nozik
If you are enjoying your rights or property, these properties should have been entitled to the individual in
the first place because otherwise justice will take away these entitlements from the individual
Entitlements should be awarded legally
Justice demands that the these entitlements should be protected
John Rawls
Justice means all social primary goods should be distributed equally unless unequal distribution of these
primary goods are to the advantage or benefit of the least favored in the society
PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE
Liberty
Everyone has an equal right or access to whatever is the prevailing equality in the society
Equality of opportunity
Difference
Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that the least favored should have advantage
1) Because we want to win the good opinion of others concerning our self-image
2) Because we want to refrain from troubles which would result from immorality
3) Because we are persons therefore we exist in the collectivity of other persons
Ethics Triangle
Svara
Objective
o Describe the situation from the point of view of each person who has an ethical interest in the
situation
o Have the big picture from different perspectives
o Triangulation
Impartial
o One has to know the people who have special interests in the decision
Prepared to justify your decision
o Consider the benefits of each course of action
Principle of equal consideration of interests
Peter Singer
In making judgments and decisions and actions, one should keep the interest of others are no less than
one’s own
One should implement an ethical point of view, uphold ethical principles, and compromise as little as
possible
Clarify facts and asses all parties involve and have stakes in the outcome of the decision
Stakeholder analysis
II. Analysis
III. Decision
Communication
Latin. Communis
o To share
Meaningful exchange of thoughts through signs between persons
Mass Communication
Process whereby a person, a group of people, or organization creates messages through a medium to a
large and heterogeneous mixture of audiences
Purpose: society’s needs, adhere to human right to free speech
Communication and media ethics provide standards to mitigate if not totally prevent harm
What is harm?
Harm involves thwarting, defeating, or setting back an interest including; property, privacy, confidentiality,
friendship, reputation, health and career (Joel Feinberg)
Liberty-limiting principles
Basis as to why the freedom of speech and of the press are not absolute
Are we in a profession?
MAIN FEATURES:
1. Extensive training;
2. The training involves a significant intellectual component;
3. The result of the training provides an important service to society.
SECONDARY FEATURES:
1. Credentials
2. Membership in professional organizations
3. Autonomy among members
Dec. 6, 2013