media ethics

Is it important for people who work in the media to be ethical?
(Yadav, 2011, p.5) Ethics refer to well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues. The term “morality” can be used either 1.descriptively to refer to some codes of conduct put forward by a society or, (a) some other group, such as a religion, or (b) accepted by an individual for her own behaviour or 2.normatively to refer to a code of conduct that, given specified conditions, would be put forward by all rational persons (Bernard, 2002).
Mass media can be defined as ‘any device that collects together messages and takes them to a large number of people together at the same time’. When we read newspapers, magazines or books, listen to radio or watch TV we are taking part in mass communication (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11).
The mass media have an important role in modern democratic society as the main channel of communication (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11). People rely on the news media as the main source of information and the basis on which they form their opinions and voting decisions and any selection of messages in the mass media can have a profound effect on the entire society (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11).
(Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) states that the news media are the most important channels for the propagation of culture, ideas, and opinions. Most opinion formation takes place when people sit and watch news and debates on television (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11).
(Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) says it is sometimes said ‘information is power’; the more informed you are, the more powerful you become. Those who have access to information can take advantage of it in their own interest. (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) continues by stating that mass communication provides us with enormous information about the environment in which we live. Information such as news of war, danger, crisis, earthquake, famine, etc. is important for that helps us in taking appropriate steps to safeguard our interests.
According to (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) mass communication helps to instruct, educate and socialize the members of the society. Mass communication provides a fund of knowledge, expertise and skills that enable people to operate as effective members of society (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11).
(Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) mass communication can take the form of a forum for the exchange of comments and criticism. Mass communication can arouse interest through articles and editorials in newspapers and magazines and news commentary, current affairs in radio and television (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11). According to (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) this function of media enables the audience/readers to widen their understanding about the environment and events happening all around them.
Another important role of the media according to (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) is the media educate the people toward better living and preserving the traditions of the society. Mass media provide an opportunity for culture to be preserved and promoted (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11). It can present different cultures, beliefs and customs from different countries and helps us promote our own culture to all part of the world, thus individuals come to know one another, understand and appreciate other people’s ways of life and thereby develop tolerance towards one another (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11).
The media also plays a role of the surveillance of the environment which (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) states that it involves seeking out and then transmitting information about the society. Through this function (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) continues to say mass communication keeps watch on socio-political-economic events both at home and abroad indicating the significance of the mass media in society.
In most societies when we talk of ‘media ethics’ we mean ‘journalism ethics’ because of the important role journalists play in society (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11). Journalists give us information about what is going on in the world and newspapers, radio and TV, give space for people to discuss ideas and to make important decisions (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11).
With the power and influence they have, (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) says journalists decide what is important, what to print or broadcast and what is not. (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) also says that people must be able to trust journalists to do the right thing and tell the truth. Ethics aims at developing a comprehensive set of principles and standards for the practice of media, but they are not identical across the world (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11).
Even though this is so (Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) indicates that there is a lot of concern that journalists are not behaving well and instead of giving us useful serious news they give us too much that is not serious. Such as the private lives of celebrities and other famous people. This tabloid journalism has given all journalism a bad name.
(Rooney, 2014, pp.9-11) continues by saying there are also worries that journalists are using bad methods, sometimes illegally to get information. (Rooney, 2014, pp.12-13) Media ethics mostly legitimise the work of journalists in the society by providing standards of conduct. Ethics exist as part of a society that is organised by political, cultural and economical structures (Rooney, 2014, pp.12-13).
According to (Rooney, 2014, pp.12-13) the American view of responsibility as contained in the Hutchins Report of Freedom of the Press required that: The press should accept certain responsibilities towards the society. This means that the media should act in an ethical manner as they are responsible for disseminating information to the society. (Rooney, 2014, pp.12-13) continues by saying these responsibilities can be discharged by giving a true, accurate, objective and balanced picture of the world.
(Rooney, 2014, pp.12-13) also shows the report says the press should regulate itself, though within the context of law and other social institutions and the press should reflect the pluralistic character of the society. The press should play a positive role in regulating crime, violence and social conflict and the press should be accountable to the society as well as to employers and the market and lastly the report says the press should work for public good (Rooney, 2014, pp.12-13).
According to (Poehlmann, 2010) every freedom of the press comes with an equal responsibility, in some cases; there are clear legal guidelines in place to protect society. An example is "Hate Speech." Such expression, however "honest" it may be as a reflection of one's beliefs. (Poehlmann, 2010) says hate speech is presented in a manner that can lead to direct and presumably intentional harm toward an individual or group or may (inadvertently) incite violence toward its target, and therefore is a crime. (Poehlmann, 2010) continues by saying that the same thoughts or feelings can be conveyed in a manner befitting rational, civilized beings and without promoting criminal behaviour, generally by discussing the root causes of said feelings or emotions rather than preaching or promoting reactions toward chosen target.
(Poehlmann, 2010) says that criminality comes into play when there is time for deliberation and the choice is made to present "ideas" in the way where they will likely result in harm therefore the media should be responsible in exercising Freedom of the Press and apply media ethics.
(Rooney, 2014, pp.12-13) talks about the Social Responsibility Theory and states that it claimed that the media could be self-regulating by adhering to the following precepts: -Media has obligations to fulfil to a democratic society in order to preserve freedom. -Media should be self-regulated. -Media should have high standards for professionalism and objectivity, as well as truth and accuracy. -Media should reflect the diversity of the cultures they represent. -The public has a right to expect professional performance.
The Social Responsibility Theory was seen as the ideal way for the media to conduct business (Rooney, 2014, pp.12-13). It has also set the standards for much of the currently accepted media ethics (Rooney, 2014, pp.12-13).
To conclude ethics are important in our daily life because they cover every aspect be it religious, morality. Ethics should be applied in the society especially in professional organisations like the media houses. Journalists in expressing Freedom of the Press should not result in yellow journalism and print news that is accurate to the society.
EVALUATION
Time management is a challenge having group projects and other assignments to research therefore I have given this assessment less research. But having an idea about morality and ethics I was able to execute the assignment to the best of my understanding and the research gathered.

REFERENCE
• Rooney, R, (2014). Reading 1: Introduction to Ethics, in BMS226 Ethics for Media Professionals Reading Pack. Unpublished manuscript, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana, pp. 9-13.
• Gert Bernard, 2012, "The Definition of Morality", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), Retrieved from: http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2012/entries/morality-definition/ • Poehlmann, 2010, Media Responsibility to our Society, Retrieved from: http://jeffreypoehlmann.hubpages.com/hub/Media-Responsibility-To-Our-Society-film-television-print-Hollywood

• Yadav, 2011, What Is Ethics. Retrieved from: http://www.slideshare.net/AnkurYadav2/rwhat-is-ethics-7875384