Chapter 15-Understanding Media Morality

Question 1

Ethics

Answer 1

The study of guidelines that help people determine right from wrong in their voluntary conduct.

Question 2

Hoaxes

Answer 2

Purposeful deceptions of the public.

Question 3

Blacklisting

Answer 3

The practice of keeping a particular type of person from working in media and other industries.

Question 4

Absolutist Ethics

Answer 4

Position from which there is a clear-cut right or wrong response for every ethical decision.

Question 5

Prescriptive Codes

Answer 5

Guidelines that stipulate specific behaviors to be followed.

Question 6

Proscriptive Codes

Answer 6

Guidelines that stress the things that should not be done.

Question 7

Two-Sources Rule

Answer 7

Common newspaper rule stating that nothing should be published as fact unless at least two sources confirm it.

Question 8

Categorical Imperative

Answer 8

Immanuel Kant’s term for the ethical guideline to look for principles that will hold true in all situations.

Question 9

Veil of Ignorance

Answer 9

John Rawl’s term associated with the idea that ethical behavior is possible only if everyone is treated equally.

Question 10

Situation Ethics

Answer 10

Principle that ethical choices can be made according to the situation, without a rigid adherence to set rules.

Question 11

Relativistic Ethics

Answer 11

Another name for situation ethics.

Question 12

Golden Mean

Answer 12

Aristotle’s term for describing ethical behavior as a midpoint between extremes.

Question 13

Utilitarian Principle

Answer 13

John Stuart Mill’s idea that actions are ethical only if they result in the greatest good for the most people.

Question 14

Machiavellian Ethics

Answer 14

The idea that the end justifies the means.

Question 15

Enlightened Self-Interest

Answer 15

Theory that holds that doing what is right for yourself will probably be right for others.

Question 16

Pool Cameras

Answer 16

One camera crew shared by several TV news organizations.

Question 17

Media Circus

Answer 17

Chaos that results when crowds of journalists descend on the scene of a news event.

Question 18

Conflict of Interest

Answer 18

Clash that occurs when an outside activity influences what a media professional does.

Question 19

Checkbook Journalism

Answer 19

Paying news sources for their stories.

Question 20

Accountability

Answer 20

The obligation to take responsibility, or account for, the consequences of one’s actions. In media ethics, accountability involves the questions of who controls media practitioners and who has the power to punish them for ethical lapses.

Question 21

Standards and Practices Departments

Answer 21

Departments at television networks that oversee the ethics of their programming.

Question 22

Ombudsperson

Answer 22

Staff member whose job is to oversee media employees’ ethical behavior.

Question 23

News Councils

Answer 23

Independent agencies whose mission is to objectively monitor media performance.

Question 24

Citizens’ Groups

Answer 24

Associations made up of members of the public to exert influence, such as on the media.