Ethics, eh?

Ethics, ethics, ethics. What to say about ethics? We started off with about a 25 minute survey on what we thought was ethical/unethical, and in good/bad taste. While I recognise the intended purpose of getting us to individually identify the above aspects in advertising campaigns, honestly I think the time could have been better spent further examining what makes something ethical or not, and how that relates more to journalism.

Having said that, let’s reflect on what was presented. We were posed with the questions to think about:

How do we know what is…

·       Good and bad?

·       Ethical or unethical?

·       Right from wrong?

·       The difference between the bad, the wrong and the simple tacky?

We were presented with three ethical theories: deontological, consequentialism (aka teleology), and virtue.

Deontology. All ethics codes are deontological, and are broken down into rules, principles and duties. While we mainly discussed that you will be ethical by following the “rules”, wiki likes to add that deontology “is sometimes described as "duty" or "obligation" or "rule" -based ethics, because rules "bind you to your duty".”

So what are the rules? We derive the rules mainly from the laws that our county sets out, but also, and often underlying the laws of countries, are the social codes we engage in. For example, Kant set out in his Categorical Imperatives ideas on ethics; the best, and probably a humorous way to break up the monotony of discussing ethics, is this Three Minute Philosophy clip: 

Consequentialism. The root word is obviously consequence, and that’s exactly what this theory is about; the outcomes. It’s about getting the “good” or “right” outcome from your actions, and therefore we see that the end may justify the means. Basically this is a utilitarian approach and it’s about getting the greatest good for the greatest number. But how can we measure the good of an outcome? And further, is the good outcome for one, equal to a bad outcome for another, or does the negative affects bestowed unto one outweigh the good an action does to another?

We see Jeremy Bentham break down pleasure and pain in, while still ambiguous, more measurable terms in what is called the utility calculus. This is broken down into notions of:

• ·       Intensity
• ·       Duration
• ·       Certainty
• ·       Propinquity (proximity)
• ·       Fecundity (the chance that a pleasure is followed by other ones, a pain by further pains)
• ·       Purity (the chance that pleasure is followed by pains and vice versa) and
• ·       Extent (the number of persons affected)

Virtue. This theory states that “goodness” comes from habits of character. These virtuous values include honesty, integrity, empathy, good judgement, and a sense of social responsibility. Goodness of character is thought to be acquired human qualities, earned through experiences. Virtue seeks to provide the good life for the individual, and seeking the mean, or middle, of actions and feelings, does this. The mean is the middle of excess and deficit. For example, courage is the mean of rashness and cowardice.

However, after all this analysis and breakdown, what are the ethics of journalism? In journalism practice and professional communication deontological ethics are the ones that are followed… “because that’s the way things are done.”

Codes that journalists have to follow include: MEAA, PRIA, AFA, and AANA.

Ethic codes are further broken down into:

• AANA Code of Ethics

• AANA Food & Beverages Code and AANA Food & Beverages Code Practice Note

• AANA Code for Advertising & Marketing Communications to Children

• FCAI Motor Vehicle Code and FCAI Motor Vehicle Code Practice Note

• AFGC Responsible Children's Marketing Initiative of the Australian Food and Beverage Industry

• Australian Quick Service Restaurant Industry Initiative for Responsible Advertising and Marketing to Children

• AANA Environmental Claims in Advertising and Marketing Code with AANA Environmental Claims Code - Practice Note

• Alcohol Beverages Codes

• Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code

• Weight Management Industry Code of Practice

• ASTRA codes of Practice (including Television and Radio)

• Commercial Radio Code of Practice

• Commercial TV Code of Practice

As I said before, I think we would have had more value from this lecture had we discussed in more depth the actual ethics that impact journalists, and further received more analysis from our guest lecturer.

Nonetheless, the reading were able to fill left an interesting quote in my head:

Ethical journalism requires conscientious decision-making in context. Only substantial advancement of the public interest or risk of substantial harm to people allows any standard to be overridden.