et104714@ohio.edu
In an ideal world, everyone would be unbiased and there would be no ethical issues or conflicts of interests. But, we don't live in that world. We live in the world where reporters pay sources that may or may not be credible and news papers publish fake news. Conflicts of interest are impossible to avoid but something no one wants. Conflicts of interest can range from your brother working for an opposing political candidate than you to your public relations firm working for a company that is not Eco-conscious but you are Eco-friendly. Whatever the conflict is, we don't want it.
One of the most infamous media scandals is the Rupert Murdoch News Corp. situation. The question proposed in this event is whether or not paying sources for information is ethical. Most journalists would say it is not ethical. But, playing devil's advocate - following the SPJ code of ethics isn't it the public's right to know information? Does it matter how the information is obtained if the source is credible and it is information that should be public knowledge?
https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2013/07/10/rupert-murdoch-getting-schooled-in-journalism-e/194804
In a situation it often comes down to how ethical the media outlet itself is. There is no set rule about paying sources for information, although it may be considered unethical, it is not against the rules. The publication or outlet decides whether or not in that situation it is okay to pay their source for the information they want to obtain.
Concerning the media downplaying their conflicts of interest while still playing devil's advocate, doesn't everybody downplay their conflicts of interest just a little? If yo are trying to be hired by a company but yo don't believe in one of their minor values wouldn't you just act like it wasn't a big deal or not tell them in the first place and proceed in the most unbiased way possible? This issue is not just prevalent in the media. This exists at many global companies.
This problem may just seem more forward in media though due to the importance and prevalence of media itself in society. While reading the article, Media Downplay Their Conflicts Of Interest, by Roger Aronoff it is shocking how many political ties there are to the media. For example, Richard Grenell, political consultant, had intimate family ties between the Obama Administration and the media, as well as David Plouff who was Obama's campaign manager but now works for Bloomberg News. While this is a conflict of interest, it could also be viewed as a good thing if the right people are involved. The media could be getting first hand accounts of political views and stories, while they might be biased, at least they would be credible.
Common ethical issues in public relations are more clear and defined than in journalistic publications. They fit more along the lines of personal issues, outside employment vs. primary occupations, and public interests vs. private interests. Everyone is allowed to have interests and beliefs it is just a matter of whether or not you can do your job to the best of you ability with these interests and beliefs.
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