ABOUT THE EDITORS
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
SECTION I- FOUNDATIONS
Lee Anne Peck
1. TOOLS FOR ETHICAL DECISION MAKING
Codes for the Media Professions
Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics
Utilitarianism and J. S. Mill’s Principle of Utility
Ross’ Prima Facie and Actual Duties
John Rawls’ Veil of Ignorance
Sissela Bok’s Test of Publicity
Ethical Decision Making and Religion
Deni Elliott
2. THE MORALLY DEVELOPED MEDIA PROFESSIONAL
Moral Development in Theory
Who’s Who in Moral Development Theory
The Early Stage of Moral Development
The Conventional Stage of Moral Development
The Later Stage of Moral Development
Moral Development in Practice
One Young Reporter’s Wake-Up Call
The Moral Development Perspective
Becoming a Media Professional
Exercise Your Own Moral Development
SECTION II- HONESTY
Donica Mensing
3. CONFRONTING OTHERS’ VIOLATIONS: THE CASE OF THE MANIPULATED PHOTO
Moral Development in Theory
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: The Potter Box
The Challenge: Speak Up or Stay Silent?
The Response: Seeking Counsel
TOOL FOR ACTION: NPPA Ethics Code
The Aftermath: Professional Standards Defended
Lucinda Austin
4. POLITICAL ESPIONAGE OR POLITICS AS USUAL? THE CASE OF POLITICAL CAMPAIGN TACTICS
The Situation: A High-Profile Political Campaign
The Challenge: Misrepresentation and Diversion
The Response: Sticking to “My Moral Compass”
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: PRSA’s Code of Ethics
The Aftermath: Politically Aware
Nancy Furlow
5. FOCUS GROUP DILEMMA: THE CASE OF THE COMPROMISED TAGLINE
The Situation: Rebranding a Nonprofit
The Challenge: The Boss Is Manipulating the Campaign
The Response: Silence Becomes Dread
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Two Codes of Marketing Research Standards
The Aftermath: Learning How to Speak Up
Richard D. Waters
6. OMG! THIS BAND IS SOOO GR8! THE CASE OF THE PHONY TEENAGER
The Situation: “You Want Me to Do What?”
The Challenge: Serving the Client While Staying Honest
The Response: Refusing to Lie
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: The Potter Box and the Navran Model
The Aftermath: Honor Upheld, Business Lost
Ray Niekamp
7. IDENTIFYING SUSPECTS: THE CASE OF THE WACO SHOOTING
The Situation: Motorcycle Gangs, Police with Guns and a Shootout
The Challenge: To Report the Names—or Not?
The Response: Use the Names
The Aftermath: When Competitive Pressures Drive Newsroom Decisions
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Minimize Harm
George L. Daniels
8. SOLO JUDGMENT CALLS: THE CASE OF THE ONE-PERSON “TV CREW”
The Situation: A Tornado and Its Aftermath
The Challenge: To Re-create or Not to Re-create
TOOL FOR ACTION: Using File Footage and VNRs
The Response: Reality, with a Tweak
The Aftermath: More Stories, More Lessons
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Guidelines for Ethical Video and Audio Editing
Joe Mirando
9. SEEKING ANSWERS FOR STUDENTS: THE CASE OF THE UNDERCOVER REPORTER
The Situation: Inconsistent Rules on Transfer Credit
The Challenge: Gathering Information from Difficult Sources
TOOL FOR ACTION: Rules of Engagement for Deception
The Response: Pretending to Be Someone Else
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Mill and Avoiding Rationalization
The Aftermath: Publication and Policy Changes
John H. Kennedy, Vinny Vella
10. PRIOR RESTRAINT: THE CASE OF “SEE BELOW THE FOLD”
The Situation: Classroom Encounters of an Unusual Kind
The Challenge: Journalists or Not Journalists?
The Response: What Should They Do Now?
TOOL FOR ACTION: Seeking Truth and (Some) Independence
The Aftermath: “Part of Something Greater”
Cailin Brown
11. FACE TO FACE WITH THE FACTS: THE CASE OF THE DISAGREEING SOURCES
The Situation: Drowning in Facts
The Challenge: Include Everything or Just Some Things?
TOOL FOR ACTION: SPJ’s Mandate to Minimize Harm and Sissela Bok’s Test
The Response: What Should I Do?
The Aftermath: Readers Respond
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: The Veil of Ignorance
SECTION III- SENSITIVITY
Frances Parrish, Guy S. Reel
12. SENSITIVITY AND SOCIAL MEDIA: THE CASE OF THE STUDENT DEATH
The Situation: Crowdsourcing a Death
The Challenge: How to Report a Cause of Death
TOOL FOR ACTION: Using Facebook and Other Social Networking Sites
The Response: Getting the Stories
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Carol Gilligan’s Ethics of Care
The Aftermath: Taking Professional Action
TOOL FOR ACTION: Using Social Media
David R. Davies, Cassie Rodenberg
13. THE CASE OF ETHICS IN IMMERSION JOURNALISM: THE WHITE NOISE
The Situation: “Why Are You Writing About This?”
The Challenge: Balancing Ethics and Protecting Sources
The Response: Giving Voice to Those Seldom Heard
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Carol Gilligan’s Ethics of Care
The Aftermath: “Just Talk to People”
Nathaniel Frederick II, Aimee Pavia Meader
14. WHEN PRIVACY OUTWEIGHS THE PUBLIC’S RIGHT TO KNOW: THE CASE OF THE RAPE VICTIM
The Situation: “This Isn’t the Average Murder”
The Challenge: “Concealing Isn’t Enough”
The Response: Leaving Out Details
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: W. D. Ross
The Aftermath: Handling Future Coverage
Daniel Reimold
15. FREE SPEECH, OFFICIAL PRESSURE: THE CASE OF THE VISITING FOREIGN STUDENT
The Situation: “American Culture, with a Minnesotan Twist”
The Challenge: “Bold Statements, Straightforward Views”
The Response: Story’s Up, But Government Wants It Down
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: SPJ Code of Ethics
The Aftermath: “No Longer Written in Stone”
Giselle A. Auger
16. SINS OF OMISSION: THE CASE OF THE NOT-SO-FREE PET PARTY
The Situation: Come to Our First Barking Barbecue!
The Challenge: Follow Orders or Serve the Truth?
The Response: Reality Meets Promotion
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Provisions of Conduct in the PRSA Ethics Code
The Aftermath: Communication Is a Management Function
Ray Niekamp
17. PLEASE DON’T USE THE VIDEO: THE CASE OF THE FATAL ACCIDENT
The Situation: A Soldier, a Girl, Alcohol and a Red Light
The Challenge: “Can You Please Not Use the Video?”
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Telling Truth Versus Doing Harm
The Response: Run the Whole Thing
The Aftermath: No Second Thoughts
Michael O’Donnell
18. SOURCE REMORSE: THE CASE OF THE REQUESTS TO “UNPUBLISH”
The Situation: “I’m Afraid My Employer Will Google My Name and See My Story”
The Challenge: Small Paper, Big Audience
The Response: Trying to Dodge the Search Engines
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Clifford G. Christians on Privacy and Morality
The Aftermath: More Requests, New Standards
TOOL FOR ACTION: Questions to Guide “Unpublishing” Decisions
SECTION IV- BALANCE
Lois A. Boynton, Adam Rhew
19. FRIEND OF THE VICTIM: THE CASE OF THE MURDERED STUDENT
The Situation: Student Body President Found Murdered
The Challenge: Handling Emotion, Getting It Right
The Response: “I Stood My Ground”
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: The Philosophies of William Ross and Sissela Bok
The Aftermath: Reflecting on Dual Roles
Kathy K. Previs
20. WHEN ETHICAL COMPASSES COLLIDE: THE CASE OF FOLLOWING ONE’S CONSCIENCE
The Situation: Facilitating Communication with the Public
The Challenge: Maintaining Neutrality
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: The PRSA Member Statement of Professional Values
The Response: Consulting Codes of Ethics
TOOL FOR ACTION: Considering Your Options
The Aftermath: Compromises May Be Made
Kelly Scott Raisley
21. YOU SENT ME WHAT?! THE CASE OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT AN INTERNSHIP
The Situation: Questionable Requests from a Supervisor
The Challenge: What to Do?
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: The Doctrine of the Mean and the Categorical Imperative
The Response: Leaving the Internship
TOOL FOR ACTION: Dealing with Sexual Harassment or Sexism at Work
The Aftermath: Looking Forward to Their Careers
Ray Niekamp
22. ADVERTISER PRESSURE: THE CASE OF THE SCHOOL LUNCHES
The Situation: A Complaint About School Lunches
The Challenge: Advertiser Pressure
The Response: “I Was Shocked and Confused”
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Act Independently
The Aftermath: Self-Censorship
TOOL FOR ACTION: RTDNA Guidelines for Balancing Business Pressure and Journalistic Values
Gary Ritzenthaler
23. JOURNALISTS’ JUDGMENTS VERSUS AUDIENCE CLICKS: THE CASE OF WEB ANALYTICS’ INFLUENCE
The Situation: When Is a Big Story Not a Top Story?
The Challenge: Who Decides What’s News?
The Response: “A Missed Opportunity”
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: W. D. ROSS and Choosing Between Competing Duties
The Aftermath: More Analytics, More Options and Questions
Jan Leach
24. ARE PUBLIC OFFICIALS ALWAYS ON THE RECORD? THE CASE OF THE COUNCILOR’S BLOG
The Situation: A City Councilor Speaks Out
TOOL FOR ACTION: Tips for Using Blog Posts in News Coverage
The Challenge: Are Blog Posts Newsworthy Quotes?
The Response: Run It and Wonder
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Day’s SAD Decision-Making Model
The Aftermath: Blogs Go Mainstream
K. Tim Wulfemeyer
25. ON THE RECORD OR OFF? THE CASE OF THE CRANKY PROFESSOR
The Situation: Late Professor, Angry Students
The Challenge: “I Retract All My Comments”
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Combining Codes and Theory
The Response: Weigh the Options and Choose
The Aftermath: Institutional and Individual Impact
Beth E. Concepción
26. GIVING VOICE TO THE VOICELESS: THE CASE OF TELLING THE STORY OF THE OTHER
The Situation: A New Project Causes Unexpected Concerns
The Challenge: “Who Am I to Tell This Story?”
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: Rawls’ Social Contract View of Justice
The Response: Seeking Counsel
TOOL FOR ACTION: Following the SPJ Code of Ethics
The Aftermath: “Everything Is Storytelling”
Scott R. Hamula
27. ALONG CAME A BETTER OFFER: TWO CASES OF JOB-HUNTING ETHICS
The Situation: “I Got the Job, but . . .”
The Challenge: Dealing with Second Thoughts
TOOL FOR THOUGHT: The Millennial Generation
The Response: Making a Quick Switch
TOOL FOR ACTION: The Benjamin Franklin Balance Sheet
The Aftermath: Two Approaches, Two Results
APPENDIX- LINKS TO ETHICS CODES
INDEX
