Ethics and Effects

 Ethics & Legality are intertwined  In Electronic Media ▪ If Payola is illegal but a DJ is sure they won’t get caught ▪ Ethics is what keeps them from doing it ▪ For talk show hosts ▪ It is illegal for your talent to say anything obscene ▪ If they do, you will be fined, BUT  Your ratings will skyrocket  Ad revenue will increase enough to offset the fine ▪ Would you allow the talent to say obscene things?

 Ethical Guidelines ▪ Many media organizations develop guidelines ▪ For self-regulation ▪ Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) ▪ Developed Broadcast News Ethics Code in 1946  Often rewritten to keep up to date  Department of Standards & Practices ▪ AKA – Broadcast Standards ▪ Independent department reporting to top management  Review program & ad ideas  Suggest changes to meet prevailing standards

 Ethical Considerations ▪ Review the Ethics Rubric ( Page 335)  Making Ethical decisions ▪ In a fast paced electronic media environment ▪ Is not an easy task and covers  Fairness, Taste, Conflict of interest  Trust, Accuracy ▪ These often require heavy & often quick thinking

 Many ethical decisions in the media  Involve responsibility to ▪ Audience ▪ Will they be deceived by this decision? ▪ Each Other ▪ When making deals & maintaining corporate credibility  Unethical behavior is tempting ▪ Especially in “Hollywood” ▪ Walking/Crossing the ethical line can result in quick money

 To do or NOT to do  That is the questions ▪ Condom commercials on TV  Should they be allowed or banned? ▪ Authors paying people to review their books ▪ An actor saying they played hamlet  (Even if it was in a middle school play) ▪ Overestimating box office $$$ to seem more successful

 You are the News director of a local news station ▪ A hostage taker calls you & threatens to kill people ▪ Unless you allow them to broadcast demands immediately ▪ You don’t know what the demands will be ▪ What do you do?  These are the types of decisions some media practitioners deal with every day

 Some of the elements  Media professionals deal with ▪ Murkiness – I’m not 100% sure about this ▪ Quick decisions – Hurry up Jones…NOW!!! ▪ Pressure – What am I going to do? ▪ Thin lines – So just how far should I go ▪ Time & Place – When & where it’s appropriate ▪ Technology – Photoshop it, (They’ll never know)

 Ethical Problems  Pg 338 ▪ With your groups, review each of the problems ▪ Explain how you would handle each situation ▪ Be prepared to back up your answer

 Effects of Media  Media influence is extensive ▪ Instant communication ▪ Opinions, Emotions, Fads ▪ Often result from Media ▪ Practitioners try to downplay their effect on society ▪ Violent, sexual content ▪ While people blame them for deaths ▪ Devin Moore, Columbine, Shootings, etc Devin Moore

 Effects of Media  Good effects also result from media ▪ Social problems and issues are exposed ▪ Results in public discourse to resolve issues ▪ Visuals of homeless or starving children ▪ To promote support for humanitarian aid  Media research ▪ Has become difficult due to ubiquity ▪ It is everywhere ▪ How do you compare those who watch TV to those who don’t  when everyone has access

 Organizations that Consider Effects  Citizen Groups ▪ Action for Children's TV (ACT) ▪ Parents Resource Music Center (PRMC)  Academic institutions ▪ Conduct a majority of media studies  Develop theories  Survey effects

 High-Profile Effects  Violence ▪ Movies, TV, Internet, Video games ▪ Catharsis Theory – Gives people a release ▪ Observational Theory – Leads to copycat crimes ▪ Mean World Syndrome – Makes world seem violent  Children in Media ▪ Positive  Kids can learn from media ▪ Negative  Evidence shows violence in media is bad for kids

 High-Profile Effects ▪ News ▪ Sensationalism ▪ Bias ▪ Women & Minorities ▪ Portrayals ▪ Stereotypes ▪ Representations ▪ Sex ▪ What are some problems with the portrayal of sex in the media today