REVIEW FOR MIDTERM JNL-2105

Journalism Ethics

Midterm on July 13

FORMAT

•Matching

•Short answer

•Fill-in-the-blank

•Yes/No

•Four pages

•40 questions

TOPICS •Vocabulary words

TOPICS •Your knowledge of the four classic ethical theories and how to apply them:

A. Ends-based thinking Greatest good for the most

people

B. Rule-based thinking Follow the rule.

C. Golden Rule Do unto others as you would

have them do unto you.

D. Aristotle’s Golden Mean Avoid extremes. Compromise.

By Flickr user VCalsidyrose

TOPICS • Your understanding of the four

principles of the SPJ Code of

Ethics and how to apply them.

A. Seek truth and report it.

B. Minimize harm.

C. Act independently.

D. Be accountable and

transparent.

TOPICS • Your understanding of

what behaviors are and

are not allowed under the

Myanmar Media Code of

Conduct.

VOCABULARY 1. In this course, we have talked about actual cases in

journalism. This has been a course in _______________.

2. The __________ sets out the minimum acceptable behavior. ____________ tells us what we should do.

3. In an ______________ dilemma, one ethical value conflicts with another ethical value.

4. In a ____________________ dilemma, an ethical value conflicts with a nonethical value.

5. Examples of a morally neutral _________ value include selling more newspapers, getting a story before the competition and increasing website traffic.

6. Analyzing the consequences of possible decisions and making the decision that creates the greatest good for the greatest number is_________________________ .

VOCABULARY 1. When you make a decision in an ethical case, you are

acting as a ______________.

2. Applying a systematic, logical approach to making a decision is using ______________. It is the opposite of a purely____________ response.

3. Treating others the way we would want them to treat us is applying_________________.

4. Seeking the greatest good for the most people is an example of___________________.

5. Following the rules without regard for the consequence is an example of_________________.

6. Picking a middle course or compromise between two unsatisfactory extremes is an example of____________.

FOUR CLASSIC THEORIES Apply these theories to the case at right:

A. Ends-based thinking Greatest good for the most

people

B. Rule-based thinking Follow the rule.

C. Golden Rule Do unto others as you would

have them do unto you.

D. Aristotle’s Golden Mean

Avoid extremes. Compromise.

You are concerned about publishing this photo because the child later died and your paper does not normally run photos of the dead.

You’ve also heard from a family member that the mom does not want to see the photo in print.

SPJ CODE’s 4 PRINCIPLES A. Seek truth and

report it.

B. Minimize harm.

C. Act

independently.

D. Be

accountable

and

transparent.

1. A reporter plagiarizes a

story, copying it from

another newspaper.

2. The arts reporter, who

covers the local symphony

orchestra, is selected to join

the board of the symphony.

3. The New York Times

publishes an editor’s note to

explain why it ran the name

of a CIA agent.

SPJ CODE’s 4 PRINCIPLES A. Seek truth and

report it.

B. Minimize harm.

C. Act independently.

D. Be accountable and transparent.

1. The editor of the local newspaper puts a campaign sign for a political candidate in her front yard.

2. A sports reporter arrives to cover a football game with the logo of the Yangon Lions painted on his face.

3. For a story about a home for youths who have committed minor crimes, the photos do not show the youths’ faces.

SPJ CODE’s 4 PRINCIPLES A. Seek truth and

report it.

B. Minimize harm.

C. Act

independently.

D. Be accountable

and

transparent.

1. Reporters covering the

student protest in Letpadan

quote the students, even

though their account differs

from what officials say

happened.

2. A travel writer writes a glowing

story about a new hotel after

receiving a free week’s stay.

3. The New York Times

publishes a detailed account

of its failures in covering the

events leading to the Iraq war.

SPJ CODE’s 4 PRINCIPLES A. Seek truth and

report it.

B. Minimize harm.

C. Act

independently.

D. Be accountable

and

transparent.

1. The New York Times is one of

about 40 U.S. papers that has

a public editor to respond to

people’s questions about

news coverage.

2. Your editor requires you to

have at least three sources

confirm sensitive information

before you can publish it.

3. Your editor declines to name a

suspect in a highly publicized

murder case until he is

officially charged.

MYANMAR MEDIA CODE Which of these activities are okay under the Myanmar

Media Code of Conduct, and which are in violation of the

code?

1. You record a source on the phone without telling the

person.

2. You publish a story that says “A Buddhist man was

arrested today for robbing a bank.” There is no

indication that his religion is relevant to the robbery.

3. You promise to keep a source’s identity confidential.

4. Before your flattering story about a company goes in the

paper, you buy some of its stock for yourself because

you know the stock price is going to go up.

MYANMAR MEDIA CODE Which of these activities are okay under the Myanmar Media Code of Conduct, and which are in violation of the code?

1. You write “U Kyaw Soe refused to return a phone call.”

2. You write a flattering story about a business because the owner has promised to buy an ad in your paper if you do.

3. You receive a request for a correction from someone you interviewed for a story. You check your notes and find the source is right. Your paper runs a correction.

4. In a story about the Myanmar Census (population count), you include the names of the ethnic groups who were not counted.

MYANMAR MEDIA CODE Which of these activities are okay under the Myanmar Media Code of Conduct, and which are in violation of the code?

1. You hear about mistreatment of workers in a factory. Since no one will go on the record, you get a job as a worker in the factory to investigate the conditions.

2. You confirm and report that a government official has been making 10 trips a month to Mandalay at government expense to see his mistress.

3. You attribute information that you report.

4. You identify yourself as a journalist working for a particular news organization before interviewing someone.