1. What are Ethics
•The words Ethics comes from the Greek word ethos,
which means the customs, traditions, or character that
guide a particular group or culture.
•Ethics: Are rules of behavior or moral principles that
guide our actions in given situations.
•The science of morals
•Ethics is an individual matter that relates closely to
conscience;
•Because conscience is unique to each individual, no two
people have exactly the same moral framework.
•Unlike law, ethics deals primarily with self-determined,
voluntary conduct.
•When there is a universal feeling about something (e.g.,
murder), ethics becomes codified in laws, but laws don’t
address all moral questions.
•The ethics decisions of a media practitioner usually are
more limiting than the law.
2. Why do Journalists need morals?
Why people have morals:
•Religion = reward for adherence vs punishment for
breaking the code
•Pact with Society= allow us to gain the benefits of living in
society
•Natural attuned to doing what is right
Why do Journalists need morals:
•To guide them when they face moral dilemmas because
living in a society means there will always be ethical
dilemmas
•To promote good ethical behavior in newsgathering-
truthfulness and accuracy in giving information to the
public which is important in a democratic society as this
information guides the public in participating in political
action and decision making.
•To keep the profession sustainable by earning and
maintaining the readers trust
thics and
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sabato agosto 09, 20142012-03-20T08:49:00Z
