The Courier Mail: The MEAA Code Of Ethics

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position for personal gain”. However, one of the set backs of the MEAA code of ethics is that the MEAA can only enforce the code on its members and there is currently no legal obligation for journalists or organisations to become members. Thus, the Courier Mail is not contractually obliged to abide by the code. However, from a Kantian perspective, the Courier Mail has not represented Stephanie Scott as a human being with rights and needs, but rather just as a means to an end. The catchy title appears to be in the best interest of gaining readership attention and greater fame, and not in the personal interest of Stephanie Scott or her family. This also violates section 11 of the code, which is to “respect private grief and personal privacy” …show more content…

The report showcased graphic accounts of the footage, which was “secretly filmed at the training tracks in Queensland and Victoria” and showed “dogs being allowed to attack a writhing possum suspended from a lure” (Meldrum-Hanna, 2015). Thus, there is an ethical paradox to this story. The journalist who gathered the information through secret filming tactics is technically in breach of the MEAA Code of Ethics, but for the sake of the greater happiness principal, J.S Mill would argue that this information is in the public interest, as it exposes vital information about the racing industry. This essentially highlights another flaw in MEAA’s code, which fails to mention how journalists should act when they are faced with a difficult ethical situation. If a journalist decided to comply with the code of ethics in this circumstance, the public is essentially left uninformed about a major ethical issue that could continue to operate unless it generates public awareness and …show more content…

Though the perspectives of Aristotle and Foucault demonstrated some clear relevancies to the MEAA code, analysis has revealed that Kant and J.S Mill pertain the greatest amount of significance as a whole. As such, there is obvious dissonance between what the MEAA code specifies in comparison to public interest; this is essentially problematic as it leaves journalists confused about the methods of honest and ethical reporting. One could essentially argue that a reform of the MEAA code is necessary, however, any changes to the current structure would still carry no obligations for journalists to comply with them. Thus, it is clear that further ethical regulations in Australia need to be created, implemented and legally enforced in order for them to have a serious impact on the way the news is reported. Although clear difficulties exist in creating such a structure, this essay provides a foundation by which future policy could potentially benefit

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