.

Assignment

(i) What moral and ethical standards should guide media professionals or journalists?
(ii) What should we expect the media to do for us in the time of crisis?
(iii) If someone threatens to commit suicide in front of television camera, what
should reporter do - get it on tape or try to stop it?

Course: Mass Communication Theories

Course Code: MCJ-206

Assigned By:
Dr. Abul Mansur Ahmed
Professor,
Department of Mass Communication and Journalism,
University of Dhaka

Submitted By:
Alif Nusratun Naher
Class Roll: 17
Second Year, Fourth Semester
Date of Submission: 2 May, 2024
Introduction
According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica,“Journalism is the collection, preparation, and
distribution of news and related commentary and feature materials through such media as
pamphlets, newsletters, newspapers, magazines, radio, motion pictures, television, books, blogs,
webcasts, podcasts, and e-mail."

The collection, assembly, and presentation of news is the fundamental definition of journalism.
Though journalists create a wide range of content for different media, all of their work is united
by their emphasis on genuine material that is connected to current events. Furthermore,
journalism is typically carried out in collaboration with a news organization that collects and
distributes journalistic content.

Journalists collect data on a topic before shaping it into an interesting story. They may do this for
a podcast, TV news station, newspaper, or any other kind of communication media.

The main purpose of journalism is to provide the public with accurate, timely information about
the world. Journalists inform their audience by reporting on what is most relevant to them.

The core definition of journalism is the gathering, compiling, and presenting of news. Even
though journalists produce a vast variety of information for various media, their concentration on
authentic content related to current events unites all of their work. Moreover, journalism is
usually done in conjunction with a news agency that gathers and disseminates journalistic
material.

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What moral and ethical standards should guide media
professionals or journalists?

As journalists practice their job and advocate for freedom of speech,they also have to maintain
some code of ethics in their profession.The purpose of ethical journalism is to ensure the open
exchange rate of factual, impartial, and comprehensive information. A journalist that upholds
ethics behaves honorably.So,I will discuss about what moral and ethical standards should guide
media professional or journalists.Theses are:
● Accuracy
● Fairness
● Right To Privacy
● Independence
● Conflict of interest
● Transparency
● Promises to sources
● Diversity
● Accountability

Accuracy: Regardless of the platform, a journalist's commitment to impartial accuracy is one

of their defining characteristics. The pinnacle of journalistic achievement is to present the truth
in all its objectivity. As the late Louis Wiley, a former business manager of the New York Times,
once noted, there is a temporal component to the accuracy of the daily press. The news editor
prints the most credible account of the event that he can obtain, keeping in mind that the presses
must run at a specific time and that the witnesses who provide the reporters with the alleged facts
are only human. The world might still be unaware of historical events if the newspaper waited
until the definitive truth was discovered.Seeking the truth is the main goal. Careful confirmation
is essential.Journalists go to great lengths to guarantee that all of the factual statements in their
work are accurate and contextual.They vigorously refute both the assertions they come across
and the presumptions they make in their reporting.They invest their time, energy, and resources

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on delivering the most complete picture of the truth that they can, giving the most weight to data
that they have independently collected and validated.

Fairness: The majority of people consider fairness to be a virtue that they should work toward.
Fairness is presented in journalism as the ideal. Better papers and writers aim to stay clear of
conscious and purposeful prejudice. Currently, it is common practice to allow opposing parties to
present their own arguments. Journalism that stays away from mistakes, prejudice, bias, and false
color attains the objective of fairness. As numerous journalists in the field have noted,
democracy's greatest asset is that it is the only form of governance that guarantees the rights of a
minority that does not hold political power. Since fair journalism is independent of the
government, it serves as a unique platform for the expression of these minorities.
Journalists must conduct their interviews and reporting on people with the utmost fairness and
professionalism in order to present the most accurate picture possible.They make every attempt
to contact those who are the targets of nasty comments, allegations, or other unpleasant
statements in our stories so they can respond. For speed and clarity, they edit everything they
broadcast and post online. To ensure that the stories they present are accurate in the eyes of the
people we interview, they strive to be true to the meaning of everyone they quote, edit, or
otherwise interpret. Every story they write, especially ones that deal with contentious issues, tries
to present both subtlety and clarity by taking into account the best arguments available from both
sides.The aim of a journalist's job is to seek the truth, not to satisfy the people they report on or
to fabricate tales that seem balanced.

Right To Privacy and promises to sources: A journalist has to think twice before
revealing the identity confidentiality of sources. Save anonymity for sources that have
knowledge that cannot be found elsewhere and who may be in danger, the target of retaliation, or
suffer other harm.

Independence: The duty of the journalist is the same as that of the historian,To seek out
truth,above all things, and to present to his readers not such things as statecraft would wish them
to know, but the truth as near as he can attain it.

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Transparency and Accountability: Media professionals have to be transparent about our
primary allegiance to the public in order to earn their trust. Any conflicts, actual or perceived,
between that commitment and their personal or professional interests run the risk of undermining
their credibility. They watch out for situations where their allegiances might be split, including
when it comes to the interests of spouses and other family members, and they immediately
inform their superiors and the public of any such situations. When required, they also withdraw
from coverage in question. A journalist should never fabricate stories for their own benefit, to
boost NPR's revenue, or to appease our sponsors.

What should we expect the media to do for us in the times of

crisis?

Mass media is regarded as one of the most significant forms of communication in the
information age. Since the mass media is easily available, it plays a significant role in fostering
national unity and changing public opinion. All forms of crisis are integral to human existence
and are becoming more diverse throughout time. In times of crisis, the mass media are especially
important for informing the public and raising awareness of the issue. The public can be
frightened by the media and descended into disorder, or they might be calmed and inspired to
take constructive action.

We naturally recognize the need for humanitarian aid, such as food, water, shelter, and medical
attention, when something awful strikes or a crisis occurs. But in times of crisis, specifically
natural disasters, journalism and information access are essential. Weak institutions and
information infrastructure lead to a rise in fear, confusion, and uncertainty. Misinformation
spreads quickly, and even when support and help is available, those in need may not know where
to look or how to get it. So, in the time of crisis, mass people expect some authentic and honest
information from the media so that victims can easily cope with those moments.

In political crises,As the primary link between the public and those who make decisions, the
media supports the legitimacy of political leaders' judgments and advances knowledge of their

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decisions' contents and justifications. Also, the media can play a useful role; they need to be able
to analyze and explain the new duties that are being imposed in order to deal with a crisis
situation as well as the conduct that the government expects from the general people. All media
outlets have a responsibility to fulfill this, but public service media have a special role that needs
to be acknowledged, strengthened, and protected. Because they have a specific role to play as a
platform for pluralist public discourse and as a factor for social unity and integration of all
individuals, public service media must continue to be autonomous and serve the public. Public
service media should help people learn how to think critically and how to compare different
information sources in the unique context of emergencies.
Finally, I can say that as an ordinary person what we expect from the media in the time of crisis
is proper distribution of essential information among mass people by maintaining the basic code
of ethics of journalism.

If someone threatens to commit suicide infront of

television camera, what should a reporter do - get it
on tape or try to stop it?
It is a very critical question to answer.When a reporter see that someone is committing a crime
like suicide infront of television camera,it is tough to decide whether he will stop that person not
to do this or gather information for his job.But as we are human being and cherishing human
values and emotions are our innate nature.So, according to me, at that moment a reporter must
Stop the person who wanted to commit suicide.

“An ethical dilemma” is a complex situation that often involves an apparent mental conflict
between moral imperatives, in which to obey one would result in transgressing another.
Sometimes called ethical paradoxes in moral philosophy, ethical dilemmas are often invoked in
an attempt to refute an ethical system or moral code, or to improve it so as to resolve the
paradox. In these situations, one must make a decision or take action, and every option is against
a clear ethical rule or guideline. This should not be confused with not knowing what is morally
right or with the discomfort that frequently results from having to make morally challenging

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choices. It's also important to note that when working with people who follow different moral
standards or ethical commitments, or while fulfilling a variety of tasks with varying
responsibilities, ethical difficulties are practically inevitable.Sometimes reporters also had to face
ethical dilemma in the case like mentioned above.As a reporter,it is their duty to collect every
information which are potential to be in a news article. But situation like committing suicide
shake their practice of maintaining journalism ethics.This may called “Ethical dilemma” in that
case.They had to choose human values over their professional commitments.

Suicide is a public health issue that is typically brought on by a mental illness along with other
risk factors. According to research, the way that suicide is discussed in the media can affect the
health of individuals who are susceptible and reduce the chance that suicide will spread to those
who may be at danger of committing suicide.It is a very critical situation to maintain a person's
human values as well as professional commitments.

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Reference:

Journalism Ethics | Definition, History & Importance, (2024), Study.com, retrieved from
https://study.com/learn/lesson/journalism-code-ethics-overview-importance.html

SPJ Code of Ethics,(2014,September 6), spj.org, retrieved from

https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp

These are the standards of our journalism, npr.org,retrieved from https://www.npr.org/ethics

Journalism | Definition, Purpose & Types, Study.com,retrieved from

https://study.com/learn/lesson/what-is-journalism.html

The Role of Media in times of crises,(2021, December 2), Parliamentary Assembly, Council
Of Europe,
https://assembly.coe.int/LifeRay/CULT/Pdf/TextesProvisoires/2021/20211202-MediaTimesC
risis-EN.pdf

Food, shelter, blankets – and information: Why good journalism is crucial in times of
crisis,(2023,17 February), mediasupport.org, retrieved from
https://www.mediasupport.org/hy-good-journalism-is-crucial-in-times-of-crisis/

The role of media in crisis management: A case study of Azarbayejan earthquake, go.gale.com,
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Safe reporting guidelines for media, afsp.org, retrieved from https://afsp.org/safereporting/

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Ethical dilemmas,(2013), sciencedirect.com, retrieved from
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20dilemma%20is%20a,explicit%20ethical%20principle%20or%20guideline.

Bond. F. FRASER, An Introduction to Journalism,New York University.