Abstract
American professionals in the media need a code of ethics as a measure of ensuring that; the professionals uphold privacy, confidentiality, honesty, impartiality and trustworthy to the society in the process pf disseminating information and coverage of events.
Introduction
A code of ethics for the professionals in the media is important in regulating the conduct of the media professionals. The code of ethics will guide the professionals in the media and therefore make sure that all ethical dilemmas can be resolved amicably. The code of ethics is useful in making sure that the values of the professionals are in agreement with the expectations of the society. A code of ethics will ensure that the professionals in the media do not conflict with the society as the professionals become more aware of the limits to which their activities can go.
A code of ethics is important in that it specifies the ethical responsibilities of the media professionals something, which is meant to minimize any dilemmas that come whenever professionals act in contravention of the code of ethics (Gordon, et al. 1997). The code of ethics for media professionals is designed so as to ensure that any issues facing the professionals and is likely to impact on the American society is taken care of. In addition, the code of ethics is more of guidelines, which specifies the extent to which a professional can go especially in regard to news, or reporting of a given event. The professionals’ code of ethics for the media professionals is also meant to protect the actions of the professionals from harming the American society. The activities of the media professionals can greatly harm the society unless they are well regulated.
For the media professionals, honesty and trustworthy is indispensable. The media professionals must always ensure that they are consistent and fair in their coverage otherwise they risk losing credibility. This is why a code of ethics is very central to the functioning of the media professionals. It is very hard for the professionals to ensure honesty and trustworthy unless there is a code of ethics to regulate them. Trustworthy is very important to the media professionals in that, unless the media professionals are proved to be beyond reproach, their job will be unappealing to many, something which presents a great challenge to the professionals (Gordon, et al. 1997). In addition, honesty and trustworthy are key tenets of media practice especially given the fact that for a very long time, the media in the United States has been blamed for presenting unbalanced news especially when it comes to issues on human rights such as racial discrimination.
The code of ethics stipulates what a professional can or cannot do. This has ensured that, they remain professional and committed to their duty in honesty. Therefore, the code of ethics and its adherence has seen great importance in bringing forth balanced news by the professionals in the media. In addition the code of ethics has ensured that the media professionals understand that, it is their duty to serve Americans in honesty and trustworthy. The actions of the media professionals can build or break a nation. It has happened in other countries. For instance the 1992 Rwanda massacre was partly ignited by a largely biased media profession, which never gave credence to the media professional code of ethics. As a result, the professionals became tools of igniting the ethnic turmoil, which went ahead and contributed to one of the world’s recent humanity catastrophes. Therefore media professionals’ code of ethics is very important in making sure that media professionals do not degenerate into agents to selfish goals. Unless the media professionals are keen on observing the media code of ethics, the danger of harming the American society will be real.
Inorder to make sure that the media professionals’ activities are not harmful to the American society, it is therefore paramount for every single media professional to respect the media professionals code of ethics. Other negative consequences, which can result from failing to adhere to the code of ethics, may include the misinformation of the public especially on key issues such as; global warming which are currently dominating the public debates. It must be noted that the media exists to inform, entertain and educate. As such; the media professionals are supposed to operate within the precincts of the media professionals’ code of ethics. Media professionals therefore are supposed to unify the society and positively contribute to the well being of every American citizen. Therefore the media professionals have a duty to adhere to their professional code of ethics if the above mission is to be adhered. Unless the media professionals are keen on concerning themselves with the social needs of the society, this is likely to result in hurting of the American society as opposed to unifying it.
Therefore a code of ethics is important in as far as ensuring that the diverse cultural background of American society is upheld. The activities of the media professionals may hurt the cultural diversity if the media professionals fail to adhere to the code of ethics. The media professionals are supposed to be fair and indiscriminative. The best way to achieve this goal is by making sure that the media professional code of ethics is upheld at all times. The code of ethics binds the professionals into respecting the society members and as such the professionals are barred from showing bias on basis of; sex, colour, social class, nationality, religions or political ideological orientation. With a good media professional’s code of ethics there is a guarantee that the activities of the media professionals will be fair to every American society.
The media professionals’ code of ethics is important in that it guides the professionals in their activities and ensures that media professionals are able to observe and honour rights of the citizens. To media professionals, equally important are the property rights, which bar them from mishandling information. This is well stipulated by the media professional code of ethics. The media professional code of ethics is important in that it guides and protects the media professionals from compromising and hurting the career lives and not only from the harming of the society. The code of ethics is also important in that it ensures that the media professionals are able to respect the privacy of the American citizens. Unless well guided, media professionals can easily infringe on people’s privacy especially out of the desire to get the best and captivating news. Therefore the code of ethics ensures that, media professionals are well regulated and do not go beyond limits and infringing the privacy rights of people
The media professionals must uphold integrity and avoid any practices, which harm citizens. In addition, the media professionals are able to maintain confidentiality especially in regard to the source of information. Some information is sensitive and failure to observe confidentiality on the part of the professionals is likely to be harmful. Inline with the goal of media professionals to provide fair coverage of events, the professionals are required to be very dedicated to ethical behaviour. It is the media professional code of ethics, which outlines the specific, rules which unless observed the media professionals cannot claim to behave ethically. Therefore, the code of ethics is important to media professionals in that it ensures that the professionals uphold American’s beliefs and standards (Herbert, 2002). The American media professionals are answerable first and fore most to the American public. As such the code of ethics is especially important in empowering the professionals to function independently.
This sense of independence accorded to the media professionals by the code of ethics makes it possible for media professionals to function professionally. The code of ethics for media professionals ensures that the media professionals are accountable to the profession and to the American public. It is therefore paramount, that the media professional code of ethics is adjusted to fit into the expectations of all those who are served by the media professionals such as readers and viewers (Keeble, 2001).
Conclusion
American professionals in the media need a code of ethics as a way of ensuring that the professionals are able to offer fair and justifiable services to the American public. The code of ethics regulates the activities of the professionals and therefore ensure that the media professionals act and function in accordance to the call of their professional and to the satisfaction of the society.
Reference
Gordon, A. D. et al. 1997. Controversies in Media Ethics. White Plains. NY: Long terms.
Herbert, S. 2002. Journalism and Broadcast Ethics. Wobun, MA: Focal.
Keeble, R. 2001. Ethics for Journalists. New York: Routledge.
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