Ethics and JournalismPart II

Week 16 // June 6, 2014

Vocabulary - Review ethics - describes the behavior expected by

the group the individual belongs to

values - beliefs of a person or social group in which they have an emotional investment (either for or against something)

morals - morals have a greater social element to values and tend to have a very broad acceptance. Morals are far more about good and bad than other values. We thus judge others more strongly on morals than values.

Vocabulary - New libel - a false and malicious published

statement that damages somebody's reputation.

slander - saying of something false and damaging: the act or offense of saying something false or malicious that damages somebody's reputation

Vocabulary - New sources – any non-human place a journalist or

reporter gets their information from (e.g. the internet, books, magazines, leaflets, pamphlets, academic journals, etc…)

human sources – people who journalists and reporters get their information from

off-the-record – information that CANNOT be used in a story (broadcast or print)

on-the-record – information that CAN be used in a story (broadcast or print)

Vocabulary - New bias –  an unfair preference for or dislike of

something

propaganda – publicity to promote something: information put out by an organization or government to promote a policy, idea, or cause that is often misleading, deceptive, and/or distorted

sensationalism - use of shocking material: the practice of emphasizing the most lurid, shocking, and emotive aspects of something under discussion or investigation, especially by the media

Recap – Digital photography and digital video manipulation

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Digital photography and digital video manipulation Scenario:

You are the editor of a famous magazine dedicated to weight loss and fitness. It is aimed at women between the ages of 18-45. Three months ago, a website featured photographic evidence that your magazine Photoshops its models to an unrecognizable degree. People were very angry to discover that most of the models do not look like their photos at all. Since then, you have received thousands of emails and letters stating that the photographs of the models in your magazine are unrealistic and make them feel bad about themselves because they believe that it is impossible to achieve such results since not even the models actually look like their photos. Despite these emails, your magazine has not lost many readers, but you need to address your angry readers’ concerns.

How do you handle this situation?

Use of unnamed or unreliable sources

Have you ever confessed anything that was used against you?

Use of unnamed or unreliable sources Scenario:

You are a new political beat reporter for The New York Times – one of the world’s premier newspapers. While covering a story in Washington, D.C., a source tells you – off-the-record – that Obama is embroiled in an embezzlement scandal involving Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. This is definitely the story of the year. If you can break this story, you will be set for life. The world will be reading what you write and you could even win a Pulitzer Prize. When you tell your editor, he says without a source name, they cannot run the article because it is too risky. What do you do?

Sensationalism

Sensationalism

Sensationalism Scenario:

You are the editor of an online newspaper that is losing readership quickly. Society is less interested in carefully researched articles and is more interested in colorful headlines that grab their attention – even if they are misleading.

In order to save your newspaper and the people you employ, do you cave to society and start writing “click-bait” titles to grab readers, or do you uphold your integrity and continue to promote a high-standard of reporting?

Invasion of privacy

Invasion of privacy Scenario

You are the producer of a reality TV show about children’s beauty pageants. One of your most popular subjects – a 5-year-old girl – is incredibly popular with all of the viewers of your TV show. You want to make a TV show featuring her and her family because you know it will be an instant hit. When you approach the family, they agree happily, but you discover that the family is very poor and that they put all of their money into the beauty pageants; that their daughter is an unwilling participant; and that her father is absent and her mother is an alcoholic. You know the American public will love to watch this and that you will likely make millions of dollars.

What do you do?

Social media

Social Media

Social media

Social media

Social media

Social media

Social media

Social media Is it ethical to post pictures taken from

someone’s social media accounts without their permission?

Did you think the story from The Daily Mail was ethical or unethical? Explain.

Were the Tweets to American Airlines ethical or unethical? Why?

Is it ethical behavior for parents to post pictures of their children on social media?

Falsehood and distortion in news stories

Falsehood and distortion in news stories Why do you think so many news agencies

report wrong information in the media today without apology or correction (only updates)?

Should there be any repercussions for this reporting?

Identifying unethical headlines Is the headline thinking for you? Does the headline tell you

how to think?

Does the headline match the content of the article?

Does the headline “beg the question”?

Is the headline sensational?

Is the headline biased?

Is the headline propaganda?

Does the headline contain false information?

Are these headlines and images ethical?

Your FINAL Assignment Identify an English language article that

features unethical content. Email me the link to the article at

christina.fabiano@gmail.com Tell me in at least one paragraph (7-12

sentences) WHY this is unethical. DO NOT include attachments. DO NOT INCLUDE ATTACHMENTS DO NOT INCLUDE ATTACHMENTS ONLY A LINK AND PARAGRAPH IN THE

BODY OF THE EMAIL.