Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning, Ninth Editionchallenges readers to think analytically about ethical situations in mass communication by using original case studies and commentaries about real-life media experiences.This book facilitates and enhances ethical awareness by providing a comprehensive introduction to the theoretical principles of ethical philosophies. Media Ethicsintroduces the Potter Box (which uses four dimensions of moral analysis: definitions, values, principles and loyalties) to provide a framework for exploring the important steps in moral reasoning and analyzing the cases that follow. Focusing on a wide spectrum of ethical issues facing media practitioners, the cases in this new Ninth Edition include the most recent issues in journalism, broadcasting, advertising, public relations and entertainment.

Clifford G. Christians, University of Illinois
Mark Fackler, Calvin College
Kathy Brittain Richardson, Berry College
Peggy J. Kreshel, University of Georgia
Robert H. Woods

Ethical Foundations and Perspectives    

part 1   News

 

Chapter 1  Institutional Pressures    

1.  Fox News

2.  Access to the Internet

3.  Bankruptcy at the Philadelphia Inquirer

4.  The Wichita Experiment    

 

Chapter 2  Truthtelling    

5.  Obesity Epidemic    

6.  Al Jazeera    

7.  The Unabomber’s Manifesto    

8.  Muhammad Cartoon Controversy    

 

Chapter 3  Reporters and Sources    

19.  WikiLeaks Website

10.  Stolen Voice Mail    

11.  Covering the Middle East    

12.  Risky Foods    

13.  Watergate and Grand Jury Information

 

Chapter 4  Social Justice    

14.  Crisis in Darfur

15. “A Hidden America: Children of the Mountains”

16.  Sexism and World Cup Soccer    

17.  Ten Weeks at Wounded Knee    

 

Chapter 5  Invasion of Privacy     

18.  Facebook and Social Media Networks

19.  The Controversial PATRIOT Act    

20.  Bloggers’ Code of Ethics

21.  A Prostitute on Page 12    

22.  Dead Body Photo    118

The Heart of the Matter in News Ethics

 

part 2   Persuasion in Advertising

                                                                                                                                       

Chapter 6        The Commercialization of Everyday Life

23.        Is That an Ad? Are You Sure?

24.        Prescription Drugs as Consumer Products

25.        Shopping to Save the World

26.        Consumer-Generated Content: An Ethical Dilemma?

 

Chapter 7   Advertising in an Image-Based Culture

27.        Making the Same Different: Branding

28.        Stereotyping Attitude

29.        Everyone Knows Her: the Unattainable Ideal

30.        But She’s Only 4! The Hypersexualization of Young Girls

31.        Real Beauty: Responsible Images?

32.        Animal Rights: Responsible Images?

 

Chapter 8   The Media Are Commercial

33.        Marketing U.S. Latinidad

34.        Media Gatekeepers: “Sorry,  no admittance”

35.        Shocking: The Case for Due Diligence

36.        Front Page for Sale: Advertising and Editorial Content

37.        “How Did You Know”?: The Ethics of Behavioral Targeting

 

Chapter 9   Advertising’s Professional Culture

38.        “…perhaps an absence of an ethics code”?

39.        Ethical Vision: What Does It Mean to Serve a Client Well?

40.        Kids Are Getting Older Younger: Advertising to Children

41.        A Woman’s Place is…?

42.        A Diverse Advertising Workplace: An Oxymoron?

The Heart of the Matter in Advertising Ethics

 

part 3   Persuasion and Public Relations

                                                                                                                                       

Chapter 10  Public Communication    

43.  What Happened to Mr. Ethics?

44.  Publicity and Justice

45.  Friends of the Candidate

46.  A Campaign Pioneer?    

 

Chapter 11  Telling the Truth in Organizational Settings    

47.  Private Issues, Public Apologies

48.  Wal-Marting Across the Internet    

49.  Who’s the Boss?    

50.  “This News Story Is Brought to You By . . .”   

51.  Posting #Truth @Twitter 

 

Chapter 12  Conflicting Loyalties    

52.  New Clients

53.  Indictments Indicate Corrupt Lobbying

54.  Accelerated Recalls?

55.  Tragedy at the Mine

56.  Thank You for Smoking     

 

Chapter 13  The Demands of Social Responsibility    

57.  One for One: Helping Consumers Become Heroes

58.  Celebrities Promote “Hope for Haiti Now”

59.  Pepsi Challenged by Rumors    

60.  Swept Away in the Storm    

The Heart of the Matter in Public Relations  Ethics

 

part 4   Entertainment

                                                                                                                                       

Chapter 14  Violence    

61.  Hear It, Feel It, Do It    

62.  Violence-Centered    

63.  Comics for Big Kids    

64.  They Play to Kill

 

Chapter 15  Profits, Wealth, and Public Trust    

65.  Copyright Wars    

66.  Deep Trouble for Harry    

67.  Super Strip    

68.  Superman Walks Again  

69.  Duct Tape for Television    

 

Chapter 16  Media Scope and Depth    

70.  Reel History    

71.  They Call It Paradise    

72.  Tragedy Lite

73.  South Park’s 200th    

74.  Video Game Rage

 

Chapter 17  Censorship    

75.  The Voice of America    

76.  Fencing the Net    

77.  Frontal Assault    

78.  Rescue Us    

The Heart of the Matter in Entertainment Ethics