Exploring Communication Ethics: A Socratic Approach

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Preface
About the Author
Understanding the Socratic Dialogue
1. An Overview of Communication Ethics
	Defining Communication Ethics
	Sources of Ethical Guidance
		Personal Standards
		Employer Standards
		Industry and Professional Association Standards
		The Three Sources Sometimes Agree and Sometimes Don’t
	The Changing Nature of the Media
		Libertarianism vs. Social Responsibility
		Ethics and Decision-Making in Journalism Today
	Americans’ Cynical View of the News Media
	Cynicism Directed at Other Fields
	Your Turn
		Case Study 1A: Perception of Honesty and Ethical Standards of
Employment Fields
		Case Study 1B: The National Football League: Concussions,
Offensive Nicknames, and the National Anthem Controversy
		Discussion Problem 1: What’s Fair?
		Discussion Questions
	Notes
2. Philosophical and Critical Perspectives on Communication Ethics
	Absolutism, Pragmatism, and Self-Interest
		Absolutism
		Pragmatism
		Self-Interest
	Modern and Contemporary Media Criticism
		Modern Media Criticism
		Contemporary Media Criticism
	Your Turn
		Case Study 2A: Football Stories Too Good to Be True
(Because They Weren’t)
		Case Study 2B: The Reporter and the Hit Man
		Case Study 2C: Naming Names in Nashville and Norfolk
		Case Study 2D: Witnessing the Final Act: Should Executions
Be Televised?
		Discussion Problem 2: One More for the Road
		Discussion Questions
	Notes
3. Journalism and Broadcasting: Content Issues
	Background
		Academic Studies
		The Role of Government
		Professional Organizations and Their Codes of Ethics
	Issues and Controversies
		Public Service Journalism
		Sponsored News, Advertorials, Partnerships, and “News Look-Alikes”
		Does the News Media Show a Bias Toward Liberal Views?
		Parody and Ridicule
		School Shootings and Other Tragedies: How Much Coverage Is Too Much?
		The Debate over Video News Releases
		Citizen Journalism and User-Generated Content
	Your Turn
		Case Study 3A: Public Service Journalism: The Los Angeles
Times and the Staples Center
		Case Study 3B: Parody and Ridicule: Amtrak Derails and a
Fertilizer Plant Explodes
		Case Study 3C: Parody and Ridicule: Did a Sportswriter
Cross the Line in Ridiculing Pro Golfer?
		Case Study 3D: How Much Coverage Is Too Much: Tragedy
at Virginia Tech
		Discussion Problem 3: Public Service Journalism: Tell Me More
		Discussion Questions
	Notes
4. Journalism and Broadcasting: Personnel Issues
	Background
	Issues and Controversies
		Conflicts of Interest
		Too Close to the Subject, or Becoming Part of the Story
		Diversity as a Personnel Issue
		Plagiarism, Fabrication, and the Origins of Fake News
		Immersion Journalism
	Your Turn
		Case Study 4A: Conflicts of Interest: Moonlighting at the Catholic Church
		Case Study 4B: Conflicts of Interest: Skating on Thin Ice
		Case Study 4C: Becoming Part of the Story: The Journalist, the Murderer, and the
Author (He Said, He Said, She Said)
		Case Study 4D: Becoming Part of the Story: Bamberger Blows the Whistle
		Case Study 4E: Becoming Part of the Story: Reporters Behaving Badly
		Case Study 4F: Immersion Journalism: The Unlikely Disciple
		Discussion Problem 4A: Conflicts of Interest: Plugging the Zoo
		Discussion Problem 4B: Conflicts of Interest: The Award-Winning
Environmental Reporter
		Discussion Problem 4C: Becoming Part of the Story: The Reporter
and the Prostitute
		Discussion Questions
	Notes
5. Journalism and Broadcasting: Policy Issues
	Background
	Issues and Controversies
		Dealing with Suicide
		Interviewing and Quotations
		Deception, Misrepresentation, and Hidden Recording Devices
		Checkbook Journalism
		Freebies and Junkets
		Withholding the News
		Staging Photographs and Video
		Digital Alteration of Photographs
	Your Turn
		Case Study 5A: Dealing with Suicide: The Melinda Duckett Story
		Case Study 5B: Deception and Misrepresentation: How Far Can
You Go to “Test the System”?
		Case Study 5C: Deception and Misrepresentation: Dateline’s
“To Catch a Predator”
		Discussion Problem 5A: Deception and Misrepresentation:
Helping the Homeless
		Discussion Problem 5B: Freebies and Junkets: Fires and Fam Tours
		Discussion Questions
	Notes
6. Journalism and Broadcasting: Privacy Issues
	Background
	Issues and Controversies
		The Private Lives of Public People
		The Private Lives of Private People
		Identifying Crime Victims
		Harassment and the Paparazzi
		Media Ride-Alongs
	Your Turn
		Case Study 6A: The Private Lives of Public People: Arthur Ashe Has AIDS
		Case Study 6B: The Private Lives of Private People: Outing Gay, Lesbian, and
Transgender Persons
		Case Study 6C: The Private Lives of Private People: Should Lottery
Winners Remain Anonymous?
		Case Study 6D: The Private Lives of Private People: Making a
Profit from Mugshots
		Case Study 6E: The Private Lives of Private People: The Honor
Student Dies a Hooker
		Case Study 6F: Media Ride-Alongs: No One Asked You to Leave,
But No One Invited You In
		Discussion Problem 6A: The Private Lives of Public People:
The Mayor and the Missing Kid
		Discussion Problem 6B: The Private Lives of Public People:
The Senator and the Tattoo
		Discussion Problem 6C: The Private Lives of Private People:
Who Votes and Who Doesn’t
		Discussion Questions
	Notes
7. Journalism and Broadcasting: Accountability Issues
	Background
	Issues and Controversies
		Clarifications, Corrections, and Retractions
		Reasons Behind the Errors
		Ombudsmen and Public Editors
		The Debate over Confidential Sources
	Your Turn
		Case Study 7: Clarifications, Corrections, and Retractions:
Socialists and Enlarged Prostitutes
		Discussion Problem 7: Clarifications, Corrections, and
Retractions: The Spring Break Story Too Good to be True
		Discussion Questions
	Notes
8. Ethical Issues in Advertising
	Background
		Advertising Venues and Categories
		Legal and Ethical Framework
		Government Regulation
	Issues and Controversies
		False and Deceptive Advertising
		The Debate over Product Placements
		Advertising of Controversial Products and Services
		Advertising that Implies Discrimination
		Advertising and Young Audiences
		Biting the Hands that Feed: News Content and Advertiser Concerns
		Portrayals of Women
		The Influence of Advertising on Consumer Spending
	Your Turn
		Case Study 8A: Advertising Venues and Categories:
The Growth of Advergaming
		Case Study 8B: Advertising of Controversial Products and
Services: What Are the Odds?
		Case Study 8C: False and Deceptive Advertising:
What Times Does the Movie Really Start?
		Case Study 8D: False and Deceptive Advertising: Worthy Causes or Bait and
Switch?
		Case Study 8E: False and Deceptive Advertising: Academic
Bait and Switch
		Case Study 8F: False and Deceptive Advertising: Joseph Lister
and the Product That Bears His Name
		Case Study 8G: Advertising and Younger Audiences:
Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood
		Discussion Problem 8A: Legal and Ethical Framework: Advertising Agencies and
Competing Proposals
		Discussion Problem 8B: Advertising of Controversial
Products and Services: The Case of the Cable Descrambler
		Discussion Questions
	Notes
9. Ethical Issues in Public Relations
	Background
		Defining Public Relations
		Legal and Ethical Limitations
		Some General Rules
		Professional Codes of Ethics
	Issues and Controversies
		Differentiating between Public Relations and Advertising
		Legal and Ethical Problems in Investor Relations
		The Good and Bad of Media Relations
		Professionalism and Respect
		Unethical Working Environments
		Unethical Practices of Some Public Relations Agencies
		Confidentiality and Privilege
		Litigation PR
	Your Turn
		Case Study 9A: Differentiating Between Public Relations and
Advertising: Nike Goes to Court
		Case Study 9B: Professionalism and Respect: When a PR Firm
Could Use a PR Firm
		Case Study 9C: Professionalism and Respect: A Bad Day at the
Office for FEMA
		Case Study 9D: The Good and Bad of Media Relations:
The BP Oil Spill
		Discussion Problem 9A: Confidentiality and Privilege:
The Sexual Assault Focus Group
		Discussion Problem 9B: The Good and Bad of Media Relations:
Get Your Can to the Game
		Discussion Problem 9C: The Good and Bad of Media Relations:
Go Quietly or Else
		Discussion Problem 9D: The Good and Bad of Media Relations:
College Degrees for Sale
		Discussion Questions
	Notes
10. Ethical Issues in Political Communication
	Background
	Issues and Controversies
		The Science of Political Persuasion
		Persuasion and Propaganda
		Other Propaganda Techniques
		Opinion Polling in the Twenty-First Century
		Reporting the Results of Polls
		Funding of Government Communication Activities
		The Influence of Political Talk Radio
	Your Turn
		Case Study 10A: Cindy Watson vs. the Hog Farmers
		Case Study 10B: Taking License with Free Speech
		Case Study 10C: Mixing Entertainment and Politics
		Case Study 10D: Stop Using Our Song!
		Discussion Problem 10: All or Nothing
		Discussion Questions
	Notes
11. Ethical Issues in Workplace Communication
	Background
	Issues and Controversies
		Sexual Harassment, #MeToo, and the “Weinstein Effect”
		Racial and Religious Harassment
		Mixing Work and Politics
		Workplace Honesty
		Résumés
		Background Checks
		Letters of Recommendation
		Job Interviews
		Communicating with Disabled Co-Workers and Customers
		Employer Monitoring of Employee Email and Web Activity
	Your Turn
		Case Study 11A: Mixing Work and Politics: Problems at Home Depot
		Case Study 11B: Mixing Work and Politics: The Lawyer and
the Congressman
		Case Study 11C: Workplace Honesty: The (Bad) Luck of the Irish
		Case Study 11D: Workplace Honesty: Riley Weston’s Little White Lie
		Discussion Problem 11A: Letters of Recommendation: Harry,
Sally, and the Professor’s Dilemma
		Discussion Problem 11B: Workplace Honesty: Competing Loyalties
		Discussion Problem 11C: Workplace Honesty: The Reverse Reference Call
		Discussion Questions
	Notes
12. Ethical Issues in Cyberspace and Social Media
	Background
	Issues and Controversies
		Internet Rumors, Urban Legends, and Deep Fakes
		Product and Service Reviews in Cyberspace
		The Positives and Negatives of Social Media
		Online Harassment
	Your Turn
		Case Study 12A: Internet Rumors, Urban Legends,
and Deep Fakes: Don’t Ask the Make-A-Wish Foundation
about Business Cards
		Case Study 12B: Internet Rumors, Urban Legends, and
Deep Fakes: MarryOurDaughter.com
		Case Study 12C: Internet Rumors, Urban Legends, and
Deep Fakes: Oklahoma Quarterbacks in the News
		Case Study 12D: Internet Rumors, Urban Legends, and
Deep Fakes: The World According to Wikipedia
		Case Study 12E: The Positives and Negatives of Social Media:
Online Suicide Groups
		Case Study 12F: The Positives and Negatives of Social Media:
Facebook Photos Cost Teacher Her Job
		Case Study 12G: Online Harassment: The Deaths of
Megan, Jeffrey, Amanda, and Kennis
		Case Study 12H: Online Harassment: The Nikki Catsouras Story
		Discussion Problem 12: The Positives and Negatives of Social Media: Online Auction
Sites and the First Amendment
		Discussion Questions
	Notes
Appendix: Professional Codes of Ethics
Sources/Further Reading
Index