Wednesday, 1 May 2013

Ethics in Journalism

'A set of prescriptive rules, principles, values and virtues of character that inform and guide interpersonal and intrapersonal conduct: that is the conduct of people toward each other and conduct of people toward themselves.'-Edward Spence, 2005

Ethics govern behavior. Ethics can vary depending on the socio-cultural context, historical context, and political context. These all impact on what is considered to be normal and actions that are deemed to be deviant and beyond the bounds of ethical codes. Ethics are difficult to define to one set of beliefs because they are linked to morality and values and people's values are different all around the world.

Ethics should be considered as part of a set of social relations that govern the way news is gathered, written, and published. A reporters' ability to tell the truth, be accurate, fair and act without fear or favor are all affected by everyday decisions that are often related to what we call journalism ethics.

It is important to remember that journalism is an open profession meaning no license is required to be a journalist. People involved in journalism voluntarily accept professional obligations that come with it by belonging to regulatory bodies, such as Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) or Australian Press Council (APC). Journalism operates in a co-regulatory form of self-regulation where the codes are enacted by industry bodies, supplementary by legislation. Industry bodies detain the task of regulating professional conduct, which targets individuals, organizations and proprietors in order to offer a holistic regulatory framework.














For example, photojournalist Kevin Carter's photo of a starving girl trying to find food while being looked upon by a vulture. This picture won a Pulitzer Prize for this photo but there was some major ethical debate on whether Carter did the right thing.

Personally, I think Carter was unethical because he should have helped the little girl get food. I would like to think that, if I was in his situation and had witness children starving, I would have helped, but unless someone is put in that particular situation they don't know how they would react.

Professionally as a photojournalist, I think Carter acted ethically with the situation that he was put in. As a photojournalist, one should think does this moment need to be made public. In this case Carter did his job by making the world aware of the famine within Sudan. However, does this particular image capture that entire situation or just this girl's experience.

A photojournalist should consider if the subject's image is capture will it bring further harm to the them. In this case, photographing this young girl did not bring further harm to her situation because she did not even notice she was being photographed. A photojournalist should be at the least obtrusive distance as possible and this particular case it didn't matter his distance to the little girl but his distance to the food supply she was trying to reach because it was not far from them at all. Also, a photojournalist should be aware of acting with compassion and sensitivity. In this case, Carter did not act compassionately towards this young girl because he was waiting twenty minutes for the particular picture he wanted. He waited to see if the vulture was going to spread his wings for a more artistic picture. Now in Carter's case, he was mentally ill and was desensitized to the image because of every thing else he experienced in Sudan. So many people died everyday. Carter was also instructed not to touch any of the children because of disease so in this case it's keep yourself healthy and safe or help this girl with a chance of getting a disease.

This ethical issue can not be answered with one discussion or with one point of view. Ethical issue will always have a different answer for every person because some people many have other experiences that can allow them one point of view over another, people's values will always determine whether they think this issue was ethical or unethical, and until someone is put in that exact situation you will not know how you will truly act. People like to believe they would help others if they need it but if your life is on the line as well survival instinct kicks in order for you to get out of the situation alive so you can get back to your own loved ones.


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