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

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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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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

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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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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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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.

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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.

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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]