Ethics and Mass Communication

The choices made by media organizations about what stories to cover, what images to show, who to interview, what sound bytes to air, and how to present information can change the way you perceive ethical issues. Media messages may stir conflicts with your own values or challenge you to think differently about information. In this Discussion, you will compare media messages about two ethical viewpoints.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review Chapters 16-18, in the Course Text, The Dynamics of Mass Communication: Media in Transition, and the video "Principles of Risk Communication."

Choose a discussion thread based on the topics available this week.

Choose two media events-one from a local source and one from an international source-covering your chosen topic. Examples of international sources include the BBC, British newspapers such as The Guardian, magazines such as The Economist, or newspapers with an international focus, such as The Christian Science Monitor.

Determine how cultural influences, personal morals, and ethics affect the way you perceive the events.

Examine whether your morals and ethics are, in turn, influenced by the media.

Consider how the two forms of media your examined could change your ethical perspective about your chosen topic.

For this Discussion, choose one thread from the choices listed this week. Each thread is limited to a maximum number of students, based on class size. A thread will close if the limit is reached. If a thread is closed to new posters, select from the open threads. You will post both your initial post and your response post in the same thread.

Thread 1: Economic Equality

• Post by Day 2 a 2- to 3-paragraph comparison of the how the two media events portrayed issues related to economic equality. Refer to 2 specific examples from your course reading and record in your assignment information about each source, including author, year, page number, and publication title.

Thread 2: Gender Issues

• Post by Day 2 a 2- to 3-paragraph comparison of the how the two media events portrayed issues related gender issues. Refer to 2 specific examples from your course reading and record in your assignment information about each source, including author, year, page number, and publication title.

Thread 3: Human Rights Violations

• Post by Day 2 a 2- to 3-paragraph comparison of the how the two media events portrayed issues related to human rights violations. Refer to 2 specific examples from your course reading and record in your assignment information about each source, including author, year, page number, and publication title.

Thread 4: Medical Research

• Post by Day 2 a 2- to 3-paragraph comparison of the how the two media events portrayed issues related medical research. Refer to 2 specific examples from your course reading and record in your assignment information about each source, including author, year, page number, and publication title.

Application: Mass Communication Critique

Has a provocative media clip showing human suffering caused you to reflect upon your ethical beliefs or to question the beliefs of others? In mass media, gatekeepers known as advertisers, journalists, news stations, media conglomerates, and their associated editorial staff weigh their own ethical beliefs and concerns to determine what is seen. In this Application, you will examine your own ethical beliefs as you analyze how media organizations decide upon the message.

To prepare for this Application:

• Review Chapters 16-18 in the Course Text, The Dynamics of Mass Communication: Media in Transition, and the video "Principles of Risk Communication."
• Review the articles "From the Editor: Questions of Ethics-for Bee and You," "Opinion: From the Editor: The Question Is Ethics, and Readers Respond," and "Impact of the Global Media Revolution."
• Read the two case studies in the "Case Studies for Media Ethics" document in this week's Learning Resources and choose one to focus on for this activity.
• Identify the ethical implications posed in your chosen case study.
• Consider the social implications of the media portrayal discussed in the case study.
• Reflect on how your personal beliefs influence your ethical view of this case study.

The assignment:

• Write a 1- to 2-page critique of your chosen case study that answers the following questions:

What are the ethical implications of the case studies?

How did your personal beliefs affect your critique?

What are the professional, community-based, and environmental effects of the media portrayal presented in the case study?

Refer to 2 specific examples from your course reading and record in your assignment information about each source, including author, year, page number, and publication title.

RESOURCES -

Readings

-Course Text: The Dynamics of Mass Communication: Media in Transition

Chapter 16, "Formal Controls: Laws, Rules, Regulations"

Chapter 17, "Ethics and Other Informal Controls"

Chapter 18, "Social Effects of Mass Communication"

Review both case studies and choose one to focus on for this week's Application.

Articles

Sill, M. (2009, January 11). Questions of ethics-for Bee and you. The Sacramento Bee, p. E1.

From the editor: Questions of ethics-for Bee and you.  Sacramento Bee, by Sill, M.   Copyright 2009 by McClatchy Company.  Reprinted by permission of the McClatchy Company via the Copyright Clearance Center."

In this editorial, Sill poses hypothetical cases involving journalistic ethics.

Sill, M. (2009, February 8). The question is ethics, and readers respond. The Sacramento Bee,p. E1.

Opinion: From the editor: The question is ethics, and readers respond. Sacramento Bee, by Sill, M.   Copyright 2009 by McClatchy Company.  Reprinted by permission of the McClatchy Company via the Copyright Clearance Center."

In this follow-up editorial, Sill recounts some of the responses of staff members and readers.

Media

Laureate Education (Producer). Principles of Risk Communication [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Dr. Vicki Freimuth was the Director of Communication at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1996- 2003. In this video program, she describes the mass communication challenges faced by her department during the period of the anthrax crisis in the United States. She details some of the systems put in place to address those challenges and stresses the importance of communicating accurate and timely information to the public during a crisis situation.

Optional Resources

Websites

Reality TV Online

http://www.reality-tv-online.com

Reality TV World

http://www.realitytvworld.com

Manohar, U. (2007, October 18). Reality TV: Reality shows in India. Retrieved from

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/reality-shows-reality-tv-shows-in-india.html

These three web resources contain examples of controversial TV programs that challenge ethical media distribution in different countries.

Media Ethics Online

http://www.mediaethicsmagazine.com

This online magazine allows you to find examples of news stories where ethical judgments are challenged.

EthicsWeb.ca: Media Ethics

http://www.ethicsweb.ca/resources/media/issues.html

This Canadian website provides links to pages regarding ethics in media.

Shedden, D. (2010). Media ethics bibliography. Poynter Institute. Retrieved from http://www.poynter.org/uncategorized/785/media-ethics-bibliography/

This website refers you to multiple online resources that research, discuss, and write about ethics in the media.