Lecture 8 - Ethics

Lecture 8 provided a foray into the facet of investigative journalism I was most interested in- ethics. The ideals associated with the code of ethics applied to the practice of journalism was completely new to me and I had absolutely no idea what format they would assume.

Rhetorically, these questions integral to the process required of a journalist when publishing a story speak volumes:

How do we know what is:

1.    Good or bad?

2.    Ethical or unethical?

3.    Right from Wrong?

4.    And the difference between what is bad, and what is wrong?

The answers behind this 4-pronged conundrum is evidenced by applying one of three ethical theories to the story, these being:

1.    Virtue Ethics

2.    Consequentalism

3.    Deontology. 

The field:

Sometimes, requirements of a journalistic career can land one in a confronting and compromising situation. For example, journalist Peter Charlton did what was required of him in his career even though most of it did not necessarily align with his personal values. Sometimes, as a journalist, you will be in a situation that is so fast-paced you will not have time to weigh up the ethics of the situation. This is why it is important, as students, to understand ethics now.