Jle 2010 Week 3
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Transcript of Jle 2010 Week 3
3/9/2010
1
How to be good…
and what happens when
you’re not
Ethics – process and props
How to be good
� Ethical decision-
making model
� Stepping stones to
ethical success?
� A walk through an
ethical minefield
� Tip toe your way
through trouble?
Decisions need to be made in
a series of logical steps that
force you to question each
element before moving on.
Steps to ethical decision-making
3/9/2010
2
Issues have
Consequences
� I have to take an action that has
consequences
� There could be negative
consequences
� What are +ve & -ve outcomes
� Why is this a problem?
� What issues of ethical and/or unethical
behaviour does it throw-up?
Issues to Values
� Which values – either in the code
or social / moral values are
important to me?
� Which journalism values are
important to the integrity of the
story?
� Which values are important to the
stakeholders?
Values to Stakeholders
� Who is affected by the means?
� Who is affected by the ends?
� Who is affected by the
consequences?
� How are they affected?
� Where does the greatest good lie?
� Are any of the consequences ‘fatal’?
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3
Effects to Choices
� What choices do you have to
make to bring about
the best result for the most
affected stakeholders?
� Are you limited in the means you can
apply?
� Is the end you seek justified?
� Are the consequences manageable?
� Are you asking the right questions?
Choice to Decision
� Choose the methods that
deliver the best outcome
� Does your decision meet
your own values paradigm?
� Does it satisfy the requirements of the
story?
� Does it satisfy the requirements of the
newsroom?
Is their a clause for that?
� Codes of ethics are descriptive and/or
prescriptive and/or normative
� describing how people ought behave and/or what
sorts of moral standards they ought to follow
� describes acceptable behaviours
� prescribing the rules of behaviour that must be
followed
� sets limits of acceptable behaviour
� defining the accepted rules of behaviour against a
social benchmark (norm)
� describes the rules that should be followed
3/9/2010
4
The EPMU Code of Ethics
EPMU Code
Respect for truth and the public's right
to information are overriding principles
for all journalists. In pursuance of
these principles, journalists commit
themselves to ethical and professional
standards. All members of the Union
engaged in gathering, transmitting,
disseminating and commenting on
news and information shall observe
the following Code of Ethics in their
professional activities:
� Describes how
journalists behave
� Overriding
principles
� Commitment to
standards
� Prescriptive
� “shall observe”
They shall…
report…strive…disclose
� Honesty is a normative value =
something we expect people to be
� descriptive or prescriptive or both?
� Describes behaviour – disclosure
� Prescribes a duty “shall report…”
(a) They shall report and interpret the news
with scrupulous honesty by striving to
disclose all essential facts and by not
suppressing relevant, available facts or
distorting by wrong or improper emphasis.
Respect diversity
� Respect for diversity
is a normative value
� We expect people to
have respect
� Prescriptive?
� Do not discriminate
(b) They shall not place
unnecessary emphasis on
gender, race, sexual
preference, religious belief,
marital status or physical or
mental disability.
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5
All in all…in which circumstances…
� If your job depends
on it?
� If a source lies to
you?
� If a court orders
disclosure?
� If a life hangs in the
balance?
(c) In all circumstances
they shall respect all
confidences received in
the course of their
occupation.
How does this make you feel?
A conflict of
(personal) interests
� Personal interest is a way of
finding stories
� Your interest motivates research
� Personal interest in an issue
� Your knowledge is valuable
� Financial dealings and share
trading
� Should you register them?
� Political, social and cultural
interest (loyalties?)
(d) They shall not allow
personal interests to
influence them in their
professional duties.
Drinks are on you
� How big does a gift have
to be before it’s a bribe?
� Who pays for lunch?
� Is it with a source
� Is it with an influencer
� What about reviews and
product launches?
� Should you keep that CD?
(e) They shall not allow their
professional duties to be
influenced by any
consideration, gift or
advantage offered and,
where appropriate, shall
disclose any such offer.
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6
The big one
� The key paradox for
journalism in a market
economy (capitalism)
� Advertising pays your
wages
� Advertorial
� Expectations
� Editor
� Advertiser
� Audience
(f) They shall not allow advertising
or commercial considerations to
influence them in their professional
duties.
Fair and honest means
� Do the ends justify
the means?
� The public interest
test
� Informed consent
� Would you talk to a
journalist?
� Honesty and Trust
� Audience
(g) They shall use fair and honest
means to obtain news, pictures, films,
tapes and documents.
(h) They shall identify themselves
and their employers before obtaining
any interview for publication or
broadcast.
The dreaded “death-knock”
� Private grief
� a baby or child
� a police officer
� a public figure
� Personal privacy
� an ordinary person
� a public figure
� a celebrity
(i) They shall respect private
grief and personal privacy
and shall have the right to
resist compulsion to intrude
on them.
3/9/2010
7
Never apologise?
� Who is responsible
for corrections?
� Should corrections
have same
prominence?
� Should you apologise
as well as correct?(j) They shall do their utmost to
correct any published or
broadcast information found to be
harmfully inaccurate.
The heavy bit…
A breach of this Code shall be a breach of the Union's Rules and thus may give
rise to disciplinary procedures under the Rules.
If a member is dismissed from employment or otherwise disadvantaged by an
employer, and a breach of this Code is claimed by the employer as justification
for the dismissal or disadvantage, then the Union, following proper and
adequate inquiry, and if it is satisfied to a reasonable degree that the employer's
actions are justified, may decline to pursue a personal grievance on behalf of
the member.
Pakistan - 1993
•The Press shall refrain from publishing anything derogatory to religion or
which may hurt religious feeling of any sect/minority.
•The Press shall refrain from publishing anything likely to bring into hatred or
contempt the head of any friendly state.
•The Press shall not publish news or comments, photographs or
advertisements which may undermine the security of the state or solidarity of
the nation and its ideology.
•The Press shall refrain from publishing anything likely to undermine the
loyalty and allegiance of the defence forces and the civil armed forces.
•The Press shall refrain from involving the defence forces in politics and offer
only fair comment on its performance and conduct.
3/9/2010
8
Islamic media conference -
Jakarta declaration 1980
In keeping with our belief in Allah and Allah's Apostle; and in
implementation of Islamic, Shariah; and in complete awareness of
the imminent dangers besetting the Muslim Ummah and impeding
its religious reawakening and in appreciation of the important role of
the various forms of Mass-Media and its worthy aims, integrity of
the profession …
Islamic Media-Men should censor all material which is either
broadcast or published, in order to protect the Ummah from
influences which are harmful to Islamic character and values, and in
order to forestall all dangers.
Islamic journalists must be committed to the propagation of Da'wah,
to elucidating Islamic issues and to the defence of Muslim point of
view.
Malaysia
Whereas the Malaysian Press reiterates its belief in the principles of
Rukunegara [national principles] and the national aspirations contained
therein; It acknowledges its role in contributing to the process of nation-
building.
It recognises its duty to contribute fully to the promotion of racial harmony
and national unity.
It recognises communism, racialism and religious extremism as grave
threats to national well-being and security.
•He shall uphold standards of morality in the performance of his duties and
shall avoid plagiarism, calumny or slander, libel, sedition, unfounded
accusations or acceptance of bribe in any form.
•He shall avoid publication of news or reports, communal or extremist in
nature, or contrary to the moral value of multiracial Malaysia.
Your homework,
should you choose to do it
� Download and read the document “Is there
a clause for this?” from the AUT website
� Course Notes/Tutorial Worksheets/…
� Bring it with you to class
� Reading (some, not all…):
� Price (2007) Ch. 23
� Hirst & Patching (2007) Ch. 4 & Ch. 10
� Hafez (2002) [electronic reserve]
� Ward (2005) [electronic reserve]