Báo chí truyền thông - Chapter 17: Ethics and other informal controls

Ethics and Other Informal Controls Chapter 17© 2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.1CHAPTER OUTLINEPersonal EthicsPerformance CodesInternal Controls Outside Influences 2PERSONAL ETHICSEthics: rules of conduct or principles of morality guiding us to proper behaviorEthical principles do not provide magic answers to all ethical dilemmas3Ethical PrinciplesPrinciple of the Golden MeanCategorical ImperativePrinciple of UtilityVeil of IgnorancePrinciple of Self-Determination4A Model for Individual Ethical DecisionsPotter’s Model:Definitions  Values  Principles  Loyalties  ActionBefore taking action, consider the following:Define the situationWhat values are involved?What ethical principles apply?Where do our loyalties lie?5AcculturationAcculturation is accepting the ideas, attitudes, and options of the people whose story you’re coveringNot necessarily bad, but can affect journalistic judgment6PERFORMANCE CODESMany media have codes of conduct or ethics. Codes help professionals make ethical decisions more quickly and with more uniformity.Media systems have no review boards, so few disciplinary sanctions result from poor performance7The Print MediaAmerican Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE)Canons of JournalismResponsibility, freedom of the press, independence, accuracy, impartiality, fair play, decencySociety of Professional Journalists (SPJ)Codes of conductSee the truth and report itMinimize harmAct independentlyBe accountableOther associations or organizations have adopted their own ethical codes8BroadcastingSeveral broadcast organizations have tried to codify ethical systems, but none have survived with specificity or enforceabilityV-Chip is compromise between formal and informal controls9Motion PicturesMotion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA)MPPDA had a highly specific code; films sought MPPDA seal of approvalMotion Picture Association of America (MPAA)Simple rating systemAs revised: G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-1710The Advertising IndustryThe advertising industry also has professional organizations with professional codes of conductMembership in organizations is voluntary, as is adherence to codesIndustry believes self-regulation is preferable to government censorship11INTERNAL CONTROLSMost media organizations have their own internal self-regulatory guidelines12Organizational Policy: Television Networks’ Standards and PracticesStandards and practices departments review content aired on the network Monitoring of content differs at different broadcast and cable networks.Some monitor everything, including ads.Networks are relying more on program producers to follow accepted guidelinesContent not acceptable for broadcast may appear on InternetIndividual stations self regulate (policy book); may air a network program later, or not at all13Organizational Policy: Newspapers and MagazinesNewspapers and magazines have two forms of policy statementsOperating policiesEditorial policiesBoosterismConsumers should seek multiple media to get more complete view14Self-CriticismSelf-criticism in media industry is the exception, not the ruleInternet opens new channel for media self-criticismOmbudsperson concept has been tried but has not caught on15Professional Self-Regulation in AdvertisingNational Advertising Review CouncilNational Advertising DivisionNational Advertising Review BoardCan forward case to Federal Trade CommissionIndustry groups exert control over advertising for their products16OUTSIDE INFLUENCESMedia organizations can be influenced by the environments in which they operate17Economic PressuresEconomic controls can take many formsPressure from advertisersProduct placementSome media more vulnerable to advertiser pressure than othersBusiness policiesRevenue-related reading matter18Pressure GroupsAudience segments can band together to pressure mediaEconomic pressures (boycotts)Publicity pressuresLegal pressuresAction for Children’s Television (disbanded 1992)There are both positive and negative aspects of citizen groups19Press CouncilsPress councils, or news councils, are independent agencies monitoring media performance on day-to-day basisNo enforcement powersBegan in Europe, not very popular in US20EducationTeaching ethical media practices at universities is very popularMay have direct impact on media performance in the futureMost experts agree that it’s better to teach a systematic way to think about ethical issues than to teach specific codes of ethics21