News EthicsRTV 440

Definition of Ethics

• As such discussion implies, law and ethics are intertwined.

• Often, unethical activities also are illegal. • Ethics is a branch of philosophy, not of law, and

the distinction between the two is clear. • Ethics is / are the rules of living and conduct that

you impose on yourself, or that your profession strongly suggests you should impose on yourself, and few enforceable penalties exist.

Effect of Competition

• Many ethical problems that reporters encounter come from knowing the competition is in head-to-head combat—and pushing hard In their zeal to be first with the best story.

• Some reporters overstep the boundaries that define ethical behavior.

• Sometimes not about deadline but about just getting attention as getting a great story.

Effect of Competition

• In the 1980s a third of U.S. citizens believed news reports were often inaccurate. • In 2000 that number jumped to almost

two-thirds of those polled.• Belief that the media try to portray their

coverage as fair; but has a slant – either toward a liberal or conservative bias.

Context of an ethical decision

• Moral agents –communicators with a particular motive commits an act –either verbal of non-verbal – within a specific context directed at a particular individual or audience• Ethical decisions are always made within a

specific context• Evaluation of the ethical decision requires

examining the moral agent’s motives

Ethics training

• Ethics training is a process of instilling moral values and attitudes• Values: building blocks of attitudes—the learned

emotional intellectual and behavioral responses to persons, things and events.• Three components of attitudes:• affective—the emotional side• cognitive—the intellectual side• behavioral—individual’s predisposition to respond• Sources of ethical development: parents, peer

groups, role models, societal institutions

Ethics training

• Socialization--the process by which all these introduce the individual to the conventions and norms of a given society. • Your ethics choices are based on your

socialization.• Codes of Ethics – see textbook --

enforcement? How can they be enforced?•  Which gives us more freedom in our

society—law or ethics?• There is no absence of ideology 

Ethics theories

• Situational • Judeo-Christian—says you live up to absolute

standards of conduct because the actions are good, not because of consequences• Utilitarianism—create the greatest happiness

for the greatest number of people.• Egalitarianism—the notion that individuals

should be treated equally in terms of rights and responsibilities—

Ethics theories

• Situational -- The practice of judging a situation based on the good that will likely come from a particular course of action• Judeo-Christian—says you live up to absolute

standards of conduct because the actions are good, not because of consequences• Utilitarianism—create the greatest happiness

for the greatest number of people.• Egalitarianism—the notion that individuals

should be treated equally in terms of rights and responsibilities—

Ethics theories

• Many others…• Overall, some are duty based—

deontological• some are consequence based—teleological• You’re driving on the freeway and the

speed limit is 75…• You’re in a state where there is no

enforcement outside city limits…

Image Manipulation

Hidden camera

• You are researching an investigative report about a palm reader who is said to con elderly people out of their life savings. You send a colleague in to the palm reader at her place of business and she tells them to get lost. • So -- you decide to visit with a hidden camera

to see how she answers questions not knowing you’re a reporter.

Hidden camera

• You hear that someone is flagging down elderly people in RVs coming through down and telling them there’s smoke coming from under their RV, then they go under and squirt oil. They offer to do a quick repair. • You set up a sting with a hidden camera.

Hostage sitution

• An emotionally disturbed man holds hostages inside a local bar. He says he’ll kill one of the hostages unless he can broadcast a message to his wife.

• Police ask you to loan them your video camera so two of their officers can pose as a reporter–photographer crew to gain entry to the bar.

Ambush journalism

• To show how easy it is for minors to buy liquor, you send a seventeen-year-old minor into a couple of liquor stores, record video of the purchases through the store windows with a long lens from a van across the street, then walk into both stores, camera rolling, to interview the clerks. The clerks protest that you are guilty of entrapment and ambush journalism

Trespass

• You’re producing a half-hour special on drug use in your city and have learned the address of a drug dealer. You go to the house, but no one answers when you knock on the door. You then notice that a window is open. You determine the house is vacant. Will you climb inside to check out the place or will you not enter the house?

Apparent authority

• It’s the same drug house but you hear the Commerce police are doing a drug bust. They tell you where to set up. When police arrive and set up their perimeter, you ask the sergeant if you can go in with them as they enter the house, so you can get the fleeting video. Will you go in?

Accepting gifts

• You’re friends with a local concert promoter. He gives you backstage passes for night two of the big concert to come as a fan, asking you to come night one as a reporter to cover this concert and others he has upcoming. Will you accept the gift?

Accepting gifts

• You attend a fund-raiser that has a free buffet for all attendees, who have donated money to be at the event and who are there bidding on auction items. During the meal, before it’s time to get shots of the auction, you ask the event host if it’s okay to have something to eat. Should you?

Furnished news

• Splash Kingdom sends you a Video News Release – a complete PKG that tells about their Grand Opening in town. It’s a slow news day. Should you run the story as a regular news story within your newscast?

Personal ethics

• A local bar and club is cooperating with the TV station you work for to do a special about drinking and driving. The assignment editor gives you the story.

• Your religious views prevent you from using alcohol or condoning or promoting its use, so you ask not to cover the story. You’re told it’s a legitimate story, to cover it or you’re fired.

Others

• Carla• Tower Jumper• Freeway police chase and shootout• Airport gate access – security• Suicide attempt on the overpass• Body parts on the freeway