ISC 311 - Test 1

What is ethics?

Study of what is right or wrong, good and bad, just or unjust

Ethics are:

1.) system of rules to guide human behavior

2.) reasoning and logic to justify why an action is right or wrong

• three branches of ethics?

Who are “the media”?

Professional who inform or influence large audiences through the mass distribution of messages (information)

Ex: news, advertising, public relations, and entertainment

Media Privilege - Protected in US by First Amendment

• inform public opinion

• Add to the “marketplace” of information (objectively)

• Watchdog of government

• Safeguard from corruption

• Exchange their commodity (info) for money

Commonalities in Mass Media (news, advertising, pr, entertainment)

1.) Obligations to many stakeholders

2.) Duty to tell the truth

3.) Duty to avoid harm

4.) need for credibility

Media Ethics

Systematizing, defending, and recommending acceptable conduct for those in mass media professions

• normative actions (“should” or “ought”)

Ethical dilemmas occur when priorities clash:

• goals

• Values

• Loyalties

Laws vs. ethics (Snyder, 2016)

Laws: codified rules, enforced by government - law is the minimum standard

Ethics: normative principles (standards of right or wrong) - ethics raises the standard

Four Propositions - Why is it important for advertising and PR professionals to “do the right thing”?

Business case: ethical companies thrive

Personal case: professional must be compelled to do the right thing

Competition case: ethics strengthens competitiveness

Consumer power: digital transparency demands ethics

3 core duties - learning what is right/wrong and then doing right

Truth: claims should be fully substantiated and not mislead [FTC]

Fairness: special consideration for vulnerable consumers, alcohol, drugs, e-cigs [FTC]

Avoiding Offense: direct or indirect via stereotypes, violence, insensitivity, imagery [self regulation]

The science of trigger warnings

Broad awareness that content and/or discussions may be traumatic for some

Classroom Environment

1.) Confidentiality: anything shared in our classroom will never be repeated with attribution

2.) Respect: we will never “shame” or attack the character of our peers

3.) Autonomy: students are free to share or not share at any time without fear of penalty

Dialectical Thinking

Accepts that in our daily lives, opposing sides almost always both have some merit

Why the media environment changed over time?

Quality original news reporting hat is useful to audience (objectivity, balance, and independence)

To

Large quantity of news that attracts and informs audiences (entertainment, expediency, relevance)

Influence of new media technology

Diversified Information: receive info from many places

Participatory: interact with media and publish their own views

Fragmented Audience: curate content rather than letting it come to them

Narrowcasting: news outlets broadcast content to a targeted audience

Echo Chambers: seek out info that confirms thinking and avoid info that challenges thinking

Commercialization of Media

• Fragmented audience

• Content clutter

• Time shifting and streaming services

• High production cost

• Avoid, skip, or curate content

• Ad $ and attention are divided

Who owns the US media? Rise of the media consolidation

1984: 50 independent media companies

1992: less than 20 corporations

2026: ????

Concentration of power in today’s media: owning content vs. owning access

1.) Legacy Media Conglomerates- Comcast/NBC Universal, Disney, Fox Corporation, Paramount Skydance, etc

2.) Tech and Platform Companies- amazon/MGM, Apple, Netflix, Alphabet/YouTube, Meta

Consolidation of media

Ownership of different media outlets becomes concentrated

1.) ownership concentration

2.) uniformity of content

Consolidation is still happening

Paramount skydance is attempting to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery

Fragmentation

Describes audiences, attention, and channels

• more platforms

• More content

• More personalized choices

• Smaller audience segments

• More opportunities to publish

Consolidation

Describes ownership and organizational control

• fewer major owners

• Concentrated control

• Similar ownership chains

• Larger conglomerates

• Unequal power to monetize

Media Ownership Example

“Euphoria”

• HBO creates and presents the series

• HBO Max distributes it

• Warner Bros. Discovery control the HBO system

“Wednesday”

• created and produced by Amazon MGM studios

• Netflix distributes it (not amazon)

• Netflix Inc

Consequences of Consolidation - ethical consequences of media concentration

• lack of viewpoint diversity

• Slower innovation

• Higher prices

• A poorly informed public

• distrust and cynicism

Laws

Codified rules, enforced by government

• is the MINIMUM standard

Ethics

Normative principles (standards of right or wrong)

• RAISES the standard

Legal Framework (onion)

Law (federal and/or state) - codified foundation

Regulation - detailed rulebook

Enforcement - policing and consequences

Self-regulation - professional-created code of ethics

Professional Codes

AAF (American Advertising Federation) - truth, responsibility to consumers, avoiding harmful stereotypes

PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) - Honesty, fairness, loyalty, advocacy

SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) - Truth-telling, minimizing harmful, independence, accountability

Regulatory Agencies

FTC (Federal Trade Commission): false, misleading, or unsubstantiated claims in advertisements

FCC (Federal Communications Commission): regulate broadcast media

FDA (Food and Drug Administration): regulate all food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices

SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission): regulate advertising in financial services

FCC Authority (Broadcast Media Radio and TV (public airwaves))

Regulates content and public interest for licensed broadcasters

• require broadcasted content to serve the public interest

• Enforces obligations around children’s programming, fairness in political broadcasting (ex: equal time), obscenity, indecency, profanity restrictions

• Investigating news distortion

• Fine stations, revoke licenses, set conditions on/deny renewal

First Amendment

Constitutional limits

“Nothing… shall give the commission the power of censorship … nor interfere with the right of free speech by means of radio communication.”

• FCC is explicitly barred from censorship (47 U.S.S & 326)

• Limited legal authority to regulate broadcast content (obscenity, indecency, profanity)

• Can’t act against programming solely bc it’s offensive, unpopular, or expresses a certain viewpoint

“News Distortion”

Knowing falsifying or staging news

• FCC states that intentional news distortion is a breach of “public interest”

• Must have credible evidence that proves they deliberately distorted a factual news report

• Protected by first amendment: free speech protections prevent FCC from interfering w/ opinions, commentary, entertainment, and satire

Values

A belief that a thing, idea or activity is important reflect our presuppositions about social life and human nature

• what we care about

• What matters to me

Levels of ethical standards

1.) Personal

2.) Professional

3.) societal

Common ISC professional values

• honesty

• Loyalty

• Success ⭐️

• Independence

• Compassion

Principles

Guideline for ethical action based on values and ideals that we tend to follow

• decision rules used to determine what is right

• What should be done so I can uphold my values?

Common ISC professional principles

• do not deceive

• Respect autonomy

• Do no harm

• Treat people fairly

Ethical lenses

Structured way of answering “what makes an action right or wrong?”

Broad camps of ethical lenses

Consequential ethics: focuses on outcomes

• what happens if we do this?

Nonconsequential ethics: focuses on duties, rights, character, care, fairness

• is this right regardless of the outcome?

Clustering Ethical Lenses (AKA: Categories of Normative Ethical Theories)

1.) Obligation-based: rules/duties

• deontological, rights-based, role ethics

2.) Outcome-based: effects

• consequentialism, justice ethics

3.) Personal-Based: character & relationships

• virtue ethics, ethics of care

Deontological Ethics (Obligation-Based Lens) slide 16