The Ethics of Undercover Journalism
Introduction
As a form of journalism, undercover journalism is controversial in the field of ethics. To obtain information and reveal the truth, journalists sometimes try to infiltrate in the target group and gain them trust. On the one hand, undercover journalism can expose useful and vital truths which are deliberately withheld. However, the debate on the bottom ethical line of journalism still exists. The central debate is whether it is morally and legally permissible to cheat others and use subterfuge in order to collect the truth. Additionally, it causes a string of controversies including when reporters can use deception in order to get the truth. To prove using undercover techniques and subterfuge
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Compared with total repudiating and uncritical acceptance, the general opinion is it is appropriate and acceptable to use deception to gather information under allowance of laws if reporters are from the justness of cause and can get valuable results (Bush, 1989). Additionally, the same view also is supported in other academic researches and findings. The research by Regus (1982) indicates that fourteen investigate reports and editors all but one have already used subterfuge on their occasion, and most of them support that overriding public need and no other ways can get the information are two vital factors to determine whether journalists can use undercover techniques. Furthermore, based on two principles concluded by news editors (Shaw, 1979), undercover journalism should follow two standards which are a significant pubic benefit should be the result and no other ways can get necessary information. This report also shows the same perspective with the other two on this controversial topic. Moreover, undercover techniques and deception are difficult to avoid in order to ensure reporters’ safety. By way of illustration, Stefanie Chernow (2014) emphasizes gathering information about a government abuses rights or …show more content…
There are four part in this model, definition/Facts, values, selecting principles, and choosing loyalties to stakeholders. The first factor, facts, is undercover journalism should use deception or subterfuge to gather information and expose the truth to public, and sometimes it can arouse controversy about media ethic and whether this kind of behavior is legal. the values of undercover journalism can be divide into two parts. On the one hand, these reports can make contributions and protect people’s right to know. On the other hand, the method of getting information also can be seen as lies. The principles of journalism are telling truth and being independent of power, and the requirements of ethic and law need people protect the privacy. However, law and moral also allow people use methods including deception to disclose issues and problems if necessary and have no other methods, and another essential factor is undercover journalism cannot hurt any innocent people. It is acceptable to use undercover technique if no innocent people are involved. Furthermore, the final part is loyalties,and the first loyalty is always to the public as a journalist. Additionally, law and ethic also serve and protect all the citizens, so undercover journalism, law and ethic have the same allegiance. Therefore, using Potter Box can show the rationality and
Over recent years high profile cases have brought to the forefront, questions of ethics in journalism. The purpose of this thesis will be to investigate the significance and context of a past case in which a journalist and news organization engaged in questionable operations to report the news. The issue being discussed is the considerable attention gained by the local media for the negative role they played in the Sept 27th 1990 “Henry's Publick House” incident. This thesis will address ethical questions within journalism from the viewpoint of the news organization of this case study and their breach in ethics.
In Rushworth Kidder’s book “How Good People Make Tough Choices,” Kidder provides a series of different methods, codes and examples of what being an ethical journalist could mean. He gives examples of different situations where a person’s ethics are tested and what would be a good way to deal with these situations. He starts by explaining the difference between things that are right-versus-right dilemmas, and those that are right-versus-wrong dilemmas.
Soghoian, Christopher. “When Secrets Aren’t Safe With Journalists”. The Opinion Pages. The New York Times, 26 October 2011. Web. 17 November 2013.
Clare Boothe Luce, an American journalist and politician, delivered a speech in 1960 to the Women’s National Press Club in front of the American press to criticize journalists for the misinformation they publish in order to challenge them to start publishing the truth rather than writing what the public wants to hear. Luce appeals to the audience of journalists using her role as a politician, comparison, and emphasis to persuade journalists to start writing the truth, no matter how dull, in order for American citizens to truly understand what is going on in today’s society. Throughout the speech, Luce speaks to the audience of journalists about how the information they release shouldn’t be falsified for a myriad of buyers or views. Although
In comparing ethical issues surrounding the journalists in “All The President’s Men” and “Welcome To Sarajevo”, there are several ethical issues that the journalists experienced. Ethics are an important aspect of journalism, since journalists face a multitude of ethical issues within their industry. Therefore, there are ethical guidelines that journalists’ use called “The Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics” [SPJ Code of Ethics]. When analyzing how the journalists in “All The President’s Men” and “Welcome To Sarajevo”, one can refer to the SPJ Code of Ethics to observe the possible ethical issues the journalists experienced. The four main concepts in the SPJ Code of Ethics are: seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently,
It is not a surprise that journalists go to extreme lengths in order to get “dirt” on a certain subject. These journalists are often given the title of “muckraker.” The term holds many connotations; some believe that they are journalists who go a bit too far, while others believe that they are simply people whose main goal is to expose any sort of misconduct. Many people disagree on whether or not being given the title of a “muckraker” is honorable, and it causes a lot of arguments in the modern era. Because of this, it is important that everyone eventually ends up on the same side to prevent further disagreement.
Consequently, according to the critics, citizen journalism does not appear to be a straightforward answer to the contemporary 'crises of information', demonstrating complexities that invariably endanger the foundations and legitimacy of the state. Therefore, the contemporary media counter-culture and its take on justice fundamentally violate hegemonic assumptions about crime and its suppression through institutionalised
Journalism is just like anything else. There are manners and ethics that go along with it. The obvious number one rule is to tell the truth one hundred
The introduction of the internet to modern society has brought about a new age of information relation. Since there is no longer a need to wait until the next print day, news from all over the world is available at a person’s fingertips within hours or even minutes of the event. With this advent of such easily accessible information, new problems for the news media have also arisen. Aside from potentially losing good economic standing because newspapers are no longer being purchased in the quantities they used to be, the credibility of the information itself is also put into question. No one would argue that credibility of news sources is unimportant, but there is a discrepancy in what takes precedence; economy and speed or getting the information out correctly at the first publishing by taking the time to make sure all facts are checked. The importance of having a system of checks on all information submitted is paramount. People trust what they read and believe it to be so without always questioning. If all information were to not be checked thoroughly, there would be instances where people read an article only for information included to be wrong and they go on believing such information. This can be very dangerous as misinformed people make misinformed decisions. With an increase in errors being made by citizen bloggers and even major publications, many are worried that journalistic ethics and credibility in the news media are being sacrificed in order to maintain swiftness in the news circuit and to retain personal profits. Though getting information to the masses quickly is a major part of the media’s importance, this should not mean that the credibility of that information being presented should be sacrificed for it...
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) provides a very clear and thorough Code of Ethics, which serves as a good definition of ethical journalism. According to this code, an ethical journalist must try to minimize any potential harm done to people directly involved with the event being reported. Such a journalist should also act independently of any personal biases, and be responsive to any criticism of their work. Finally, a truly ethical journalist must seek to find and report the truth (Society). Common sense reaffirms these guidelines. When one thinks of ethical behavior, one usually thinks along terms of being truthful, appreciative of others, acting responsively and using fair judgement. All of these concepts are explicitly stated in the SPJ's Code of Ethics.
To conclude, when public journalism is being practiced, a larger percentage of reports face an innumerable amount of issues that lie in their content, the journalists themselves, and their audience. What is being reported by professionals, traditional journalist, constitutes as “good journalism” because of their ability to maintain and provide accurate, unbiased reports, fulfill being a good neighbor and watchdog, while adjusting to our growing technological advancements with an newer and improved rapid reporting. Thus, traditional journalism holds the persisting dominance over their competitors, public journalism.
In extreme situations, journalists choose the angle they can find, tick the boxes to the news worthiness, but never having a stand. According to Kempf, journalists fulfill certain criteria of newsworthiness and fake empirical evidence, which implements propaganda and in the journalists’ defense “that it did not matter the pictures were faked since they only showed what people already ‘knew’ and since they served the goal of opening the eyes of the public” (Kempf 2002, p. 60). Various examples from the War on Terror, where journalists and reporters would fake evidence just to gain more audiences but examples like this could elevate the issues, and it is as if this responsibility of Journalism of Attachment only adds fuel to the fire and this is done in the name of peace (Kempf 2002).
"Journalism Ethics Online Journalism Ethics Gatekeeping." Journalism Ethics for the Global Citizen. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. .
Meyers, C. (2010). The 'Standard Journalism ethics: a philosophical approach? Oxford University Press. Nordenstreng. K. (1995)