This presentation by Professor Linda Austin covers Chapter 2: Ethics - The Bedrock of Society from The Ethical Journalist, a textbook by Gene Foreman. It is for her students in JNL-2105, Journalism Ethics, at the National Management College in Yangon, Myanmar.

1. Chapter 2
Ethics: The
bedrock of
a society
Bysubarcticmike

2. Define ethics
• A set of moral
principles.
• A code – often unwritten
– that guides a person’s
conduct.

3. Ethics requires action
2 aspects of
ethics:
• Knowing right
from wrong.
• Then doing
what is right.

4. Applied ethics
•Using ethical principles to
resolve concrete cases in a
profession, such as
journalism.
• Your course in news media
ethics is an exercise in
applied ethics.

5. The Golden Rule
Hinduism: 3,200
BC, from the
Hitopadesa:
“One should
always treat
others as they
themselves wish
to be treated.”
By{pranav}

6. The Golden Rule
Judaism: 1,300
BC, from Leviticus
19:18:
“Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as
thyself.”
Byzeevveez

7. The Golden Rule
Buddhism: 560
BC, from the
Udanavarga 5:18:
“Hurt not others with
that which pains
yourself.”

8. The Golden Rule
Confucianism:
557 BC, from the
Analects 15:23:
“What you do not
want done to
yourself, do not do
to others.”
Byedwin.11

9. The Golden Rule
•Christianity: 30
AD, From the
Bible, Matthew
7:12:
•“So whatever you
wish that others
would do to you, do
also to them.”

10. The Golden Rule
Islam: 610-32 AD,
from Hadith 13:
“No man is a true
believer unless he
desires for his
brother that which
he desires for
himself.”
ByCCFoodTravel.com

11. Ethics versus Law
•Law = doing the
minimum.
• Ethics = doing the right
thing.

12. Socialization
•The process by which
ethical values are
handed down from one
generation to the next.

13. Socialization
Each
generation
learns from
parents,
peers, role
models and
institutions.
ByFlickruserChristopherMichel

14. Ethical + nonethical values
• Values are a person’s
deeply held convictions.
• Ethical values relate to
what is right and proper.
• Nonethical values relate
not to moral duty but to
desire.

15. Examples of ethical values
• Honesty.
• Promise-keeping.
• Fairness.
• Compassion.
• Respect for others’
privacy.

16. Examples of nonethical values
• Wealth, status,
happiness.
• For a journalist: beating
the competition on an
important story, raising
broadcast ratings, selling
more papers.

17. The ethical dilemma
• Two ethical values
conflict.
• The Heinz Dilemma
illustrates such a
dilemma.

18. The Ethical Dilemma
In Heinz, it is honesty
versus compassion.

19. False Ethical Dilemma
• A conflict of an ethical value
and a nonethical value.
• The ethical value must win.
• The ethical choice is clear, but
often requires sacrifice.

20. Moral agent
• The person who makes a
decision in a given
situation is the moral
agent.
• Would you be okay with
having your decision
process on the front page of
a newspaper?

21. Homework for June 15
• Read Chapter 6 in the text: Applying Four Classic
Theories of Ethics
• Read the news: BBC Burmese Facebook and Irrawaddy
Facebook
• Study for quiz on June 15 on Chapter 2, lectures this
week and the news.
• Study for vocabulary quiz on June 22 using text and/or
Quizlet.
• OPTIONAL: Put your email on the sheet to sign up for
closed Facebook group.
• OPTIONAL: Be a Reporter Game on Newsu.org:
http://www.newsu.org/courses/be-reporter-game