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Making Good Ethical Decisions

Making Good Ethical Decisions. A Framework for Student Journalists. Presented at the 2008 ASNE Reynolds High School Journalism Institute at Arizona State University by Steve Elliott: steve.elliott@asu.edu Professor of Journalism, ASU Shortened and Reformatted by:

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Making Good Ethical Decisions

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  1. Making Good Ethical Decisions A Framework for Student Journalists Presented at the 2008 ASNE Reynolds High School Journalism Institute at Arizona State University by Steve Elliott: steve.elliott@asu.edu Professor of Journalism, ASU Shortened and Reformatted by: Robert J. Courtemanche, CJE rcourtemanche@galenaparkisd.com Galena Park HS, Texas Permission for use granted for any classroom teacher in a public or not-for profit / non-profit school system.

  2. Three levels of decision-making • Gut reaction or emotional response • Reflection and reasoning • Rules or guidelines

  3. Ethics in Journalism • Making ethical decisions in journalism is difficult because it’s not just an extension of your personal ethics. • Just being a good person isn’t enough.

  4. Remember: • In most cases, there are no absolute right or wrong decisions – there are just wrong ways of going about making decisions. • The best ethical decisions are the ones made by more than one person. • We are in the business of distributing information, not withholding it.

  5. Journalistic Principles(Poynter Institute & Society of Professional Journalists) • Seek truth and report it as fully as possible • Act independently • Minimize Harm • Be accountable

  6. Withholding information • Scenario- Which picture do you print? • High school football player drops the potential winning pass. • College football player drops the potential winning pass. • Pro football player drops the potential winning pass.

  7. In 1492 In fourteen hundred ninety-twoColumbus sailed the ocean blue. "Indians!  Indians!"  Columbus cried;His heart was filled with joyful pride.But "India" the land was not;It was the Bahamas, and it was hot.The Arakawa natives were very nice;They gave the sailors food and spice.Columbus sailed on to find some goldTo bring back home, as he'd been told. He made the trip again and again,Trading gold to bring to Spain.The first American?  No, not quite.But Columbus was brave, and he was bright. In 1492 A bunch of strange looking men landed on our beach and proceeded to trespass, take our stuff, make us sick, and ruin our culture. Seek Truth and Report it as Fully as Possible

  8. The Essential Questions TestLou Hodges, Washington and Lee • What are the moral issues at stake?Who are the stakeholders? • What are the morally relevant facts/rules? • What possible courses of action are available? What are the predictable effects of each action? • Will it pass the test of publicity?

  9. Several passersby in a small community see a body lying on a lawn in a residential area and call police. Police find a 16-year-old boy passed out on the lawn. The boy had been partying with friends who dumped him on a random lawn after he got too drunk to walk home. They left him there. Police take the boy home and file a report. No charges are filed. The case of the boy on the lawn

  10. New Fact • The boy is captain of the local high school football team and was violating more than one team rule.

  11. New Fact • Even though it was at night, this was August and the temperature was 98° and the heat index was 102°. The boy was severely dehydrated and spends two days in the hospital.

  12. New Fact • The football team has recently experienced a string of incidents in which minors have been found drinking. Pressure is building to get these kids under control.

  13. In Our World • How do we really want to make decisions? • Is it practical in our newsroom? • Is it practical in our classroom? • What opposition could we face? • What positive effects could there be?

  14. Ethical Dilemmas • Students or staff members who have been arrested • Death of student or staff members • Controversial issues • The GGW phenomenon- when you are under the influence or doing something stupid or embarrassing, that is when the press (you) shows up • The Tyra Banks phenomenon- stick a microphone or a camera in someone’s face and they will do or say anything.

  15. Ethics in photography • Photoshopping things out or in • Making people look different • Cropping a picture too tightly

  16. Famous cases • OJ Simpson • Katie Couric’s diet • If the Russian’s don’t like you … • Let’s just add some diversity if we don’t actually have it. • Obama is an angel and Hillary is a wrinkly old lady

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