Lets Get Ethical

Jesse Beard                                                                                                       jb071416@ohio.edu

John Cole, The Times-Tribune, Scranton. Via http://timestribuneblogs.com/cole/

We are all instilled with an ethical code, even though we may not realize it. Whether it is a set of rules from your religion, or even simply holding the door for somebody, we are constantly making decisions based around ethical principles. 

While we all possess an innate sense of ethics, it can be quite difficult to create a broad set of standards from these ideas. This is a mission that humans have undergone since, at least, Ancient Greece, with varying levels of success. With the birth of philosophy in Greece, so came teleology. The general idea that in any ethical decision, one must choose the path that brings about the greatest good. It focused primarily on the results of the decisions and the effect it carries. This idea would later be developed further, becoming the fundamentals of utilitarianism.

However, before the birth of utilitarianism there was a new leader in ethical theory: Deontology. Deontology is a firm set of ethical rules that one must follow. Deontology is much more concerned about the process of decision making than teleology/utilitarianism. This is because Deontology is more closely connected to religion, which faces broad moral implications.

What makes ethics so hard, both in Journalism and everyday life, is the variation among people's ethical codes. While we have built a system of laws that are based out of general ethical principles, they will never be completely ethically sound. There will also always be grey areas that are not covered by laws. People will often look to religion or another set of standards for those principles. We have had ethical theory instilled in us from everything from Dr. Seuss to the Quran. 

It is because of this that Deontology can be so useful; We are constantly learning from those around us and those who came before us. Instead of everyone having their own, unknown set of ethical principles, we can all be a part of one of several widely understood sets of rules. A set of rules that can be slowly adapted and improved over time. 

Most professionals, including journalists, are Deontologists as they all have a set of procedural standards that they are held to in order to be perceived as "right". For example, journalism has The 5 Core Values of Journalism, which are the ethical values that all journalists should 
share. These principles are; "Truth and Accuracy, Independence, Fairness/Impartiality, Humanity, 
and, Accountability." These codes of ethics are not always able to be applied directly to a 
specific problem, as much as they are a commitment to maintaining certain values. 

Almost every newsroom has a person specifically designated to assist in keeping the organization 
open, honest, and ethical. These people are referred to as an Ombudsman, Ombud, or 
Ombudsperson. According to the Organization of News Ombudsman and Standards Editors (ONO), 
an Ombud: "receives and investigates complaints from newspaper readers or listeners or viewers of radio and television stations about accuracy, fairness, balance and good taste in news coverage. He or she recommends appropriate remedies or responses to correct or clarify news reports." In the age of "fake news," it is increasingly important to gain and maintain the trust of your audience. 

The only thing separating a publication from the rest of the noise is their credibility; credibility that is guided by ethics. It is imperative for the publications to recognize their role in building trust with the public.