Phone tapping, harassment, gore images and bias media reports all in the sake of freedom of press. Ethics and media have long been walking hand in hand. You could even consider that there is no media without a form of ethics. But as the world progresses and new media arises, interpersonal relationships seem to evolve in more harsher ways, the screaming of freedom of speech becomes more precedent. Ethics is now that friend you have to play with, because mom said so, but yet gets pushed on the backburner.
Ethics & Media pushing Boundaries
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Ethics and Journalism
Ethical issues were confronted ever since mass media came into existence. Ethics being some kind of ‘unwritten rule’ to install certain values and norms into the covering of news. Going back in time, allows us go as far as 400 B.C. when Aristotle lays down the ‘Golden Mean’ stating that right courses of action always avoid extremes. Basically, moderation is the key to ethical behavior, according to Aristotle. And then there is the ‘Golden Rule’ many western Europeans and Americans live by till this day. Jesus Christ stated in 20 A.D. ‘do unto others as you would have do unto you’. The phrase was even given to me, and many children growing up by their parents under the norm to treat others like you would like to be treated yourself. Without a doubt, this is still a ‘rule’ people live by today, keeping in consideration that ‘others’ are usually the people around you, ‘us’ as you will, but does not hold the same standard to people far away, ‘them’. Treating the bus driver the same as your teacher all makes sense to everyone, but looking at the Middle-Eastern wars, is too far to relate to.
Enfin, back to ethics and media. In 1844 the telegraph was invented and by 1848 this telegraph made the formation of the world’s first news agency, the Associated Press of New York, possible. At the time 6 newspapers were printed all in New York City, and to cut down costs they employed only one correspondent. The fact that newspapers were espousing different political ideologies, while sharing one correspondent ensured that the correspondent would adhere to the journalistic objectivity and fairness that separated fact from fiction. This was when news was clearly just objective facts rolled into an article, although true objectivity can be disputed of course. Can anyone really be 100% objective?
Ethics in itself is somewhat vague, when the official meaning of ethics states: the analysis, evaluation, and promotion of correct conduct and/or good character, according to the best available standards. Now how do we establish correct conduct and good character? Ethics is based on the norms and values a certain culture holds. While western countries find it unethical for women to be treated differently, in other parts of the world this is logical.
article by: Leila Pijpers