Chapter 1: Institutional Pressures

The cases in this chapter deal with the ethical dilemmas of internal and external pressures in the business world.

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How can a business influence news?

Is news reporting a business or a service?

What does the public have a right to know?

Chapter 1 Cases

• Case 1:

The New York Times

Fires Jayson Blair • Case 2: CNN in Baghdad • Case 3: The Time Warner Colossus • Case 4: NBC and GM’s Pickup • Case 5: The Wichita Experiment

Case 1: The New York Times fires Jayson Blair

• Facts– Empirical Definition • Values • Loyalties • Principles

Case 1: The New York Times fires Jayson Blair

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What does the Potter Box tell us about Blair, The New York Times, and the scandal?

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Was Blair promoted too swiftly?

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When should supervisors step in and reprimand a reporter?

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Jayson Blair created facts and quotes, thus destroying reputations. Should this blatant disregard for ethical journalism garner a six-figure book deal?

Case 2: CNN in Baghdad

• Facts– Empirical Definition • Values • Loyalties • Principles

Case 2: CNN in Baghdad

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What should CNN have done with its information about the arrests, tortures and murders in Iraq?

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How could CNN have kept reporting if they had been thrown out of the country?

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Is not reporting a story the same as lying?

Case 3: The AOL Time Warner Colossus

• Facts – Empirical Definition • Values • Principles • Loyalties

The family tree of AOL Time Warner and subsidiary companies

AOL Time America Online Internet provider

Time

magazine

Sports Illustrated

Warner Brothers Austin Powers movie franchise Turner Cartoon Network TNT

People Magazine

Batman movie franchise CNN HBO/ HBO video Matrix movie franchise MGM film library

Case 3: The AOL Time Warner Colossus

Covers of magazines owned by Time Warner devoted to projects funded by Time Warner.

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Can a parent company give an unbiased opinion of things it has produced?

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In what ways are these mergers beneficial? In what ways are they harmful?

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When mergers of multibillion dollar companies sour, should the government help financially?

Case 5: The Wichita Experiment

• Facts – Empirical Definition • Values • Principles • Loyalties

• What are some examples where talking about an unpopular subject has bettered society?

• Can a news source give patrons what they want without “dumbing down” the paper?

Aristole’s Golden Mean Profit What the reader wants Cheap, easy entertainment Social responsibility “spinach journalism” oblivious to reader • What would the balance of Aristotle's golden mean look like?