Jack Demmler
jd050918@ohio.edu
Everyday people are tasked with making decisions. From getting out of bed in the morning to deciding not to steal from a store, people make decisions that create a ripple effect. More often than not, every decision is made with a particular reason. Some reasons are as simple as "because it is the law," while others contain deeper, moral implications. Moral reasoning is extensively studied in a philosophical field called "ethics."
Ethics is more than a question of good or bad. Ethics takes into account the context of each decision as well as the morals behind each decision. Some important areas of ethics include teleology, deontology, utilitarianism, and egoism. Teleology answers the question "What decision produces the most good ?" In contrast, deontology focuses on rules and answers the question "What do the rules say I should do?" Utilitarianism is similar to teleology in that it answers "What decision produces the most good for the most people?" Ethical egoism focuses on the individual and answers "What will produce the greatest good for me?" Ethics is an important aspect and is placed at the center of every journalist organization.
It has become increasingly common to see the public attack "the media" and journalists. Attacking the media has become more prevalent in today's world. The most notable place we see an attack on the media is through politics. For example, President Trump has used the term "fake news" as a way to dismiss and discredit journalists and news organizations. In a time where the world is divided (notably through politics), being unbiased becomes even more crucial for journalists. The sharing of one's bias often times leads to an attack on the media.
An explanation to why the media presents bias may be the race for ratings. It seems media organizations are willing to sacrifice ethics in order to bring in more viewers and obtain higher ratings. One way this is done is by presenting an opinion that may resonate with a larger population. Many critics look at journalists who express their opinions on news channels to support their critique on the media.
However according to a UNESCO article titled "Ethical Journalism: Back in the News," Aidan White states that, "The core values of ethical journalism are more important than ever." At the heart of every journalism organization is a set of ethics that lead journalists in their duty to report. The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), a United States journalists' organization, provides a list of ethics all journalism organizations are encouraged to follow. The code of ethics state journalists should seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently, and be accountable and transparent.
The SPJ code of ethics present the most important job of any journalist: to inform the public by presenting accurate and unbiased information.
No comments:
Post a Comment