Chapter 17 - Ethics and other informal controls. distinguish among the types of informal controls on the media, explain the most important ethical principles, explain what the standards departments and performance codes are, discuss the relationship between the media and their advertisers vis-à-vis ethical practices, understand the pros and cons of pressure groups. | Ethics and Other Informal Controls Chapter 17 © 2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. CHAPTER OUTLINE Personal Ethics Performance Codes Internal Controls Outside Influences PERSONAL ETHICS Ethics: rules of conduct or principles of morality guiding us to proper behavior Ethical principles do not provide magic answers to all ethical dilemmas Ethical Principles Principle of the Golden Mean Categorical Imperative Principle of Utility Veil of Ignorance Principle of Self-Determination A Model for Individual Ethical Decisions Potter’s Model: Definitions Values Principles Loyalties Action Before taking action, consider the following: Define the situation What values are involved? What ethical principles apply? Where do our loyalties lie? Acculturation Acculturation is accepting the ideas, attitudes, and options of the people whose story you’re covering Not necessarily bad, but can affect journalistic judgment PERFORMANCE CODES Many media have codes of conduct or ethics. Codes help professionals make ethical decisions more quickly and with more uniformity. Media systems have no review boards, so few disciplinary sanctions result from poor performance The Print Media American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) Canons of Journalism Responsibility, freedom of the press, independence, accuracy, impartiality, fair play, decency Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Codes of conduct See the truth and report it Minimize harm Act independently Be accountable Other associations or organizations have adopted their own ethical codes Broadcasting Several broadcast organizations have tried to codify ethical systems, but none have survived with specificity or enforceability V-Chip is compromise between formal and informal controls Motion Pictures Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA) MPPDA had a highly specific code; films sought MPPDA seal of approval Motion Picture Association of America . | Ethics and Other Informal Controls Chapter 17 © 2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. CHAPTER OUTLINE Personal Ethics Performance Codes Internal Controls Outside Influences PERSONAL ETHICS Ethics: rules of conduct or principles of morality guiding us to proper behavior Ethical principles do not provide magic answers to all ethical dilemmas Ethical Principles Principle of the Golden Mean Categorical Imperative Principle of Utility Veil of Ignorance Principle of Self-Determination A Model for Individual Ethical Decisions Potter’s Model: Definitions Values Principles Loyalties Action Before taking action, consider the following: Define the situation What values are involved? What ethical principles apply? Where do our loyalties lie? Acculturation Acculturation is accepting the ideas, attitudes, and options of the people whose story you’re covering Not necessarily bad, but can affect journalistic judgment PERFORMANCE CODES Many media
