ABSTRACT
The following hypothetical case studies reveal the complexity of media ethics and the challenge of “getting it right.” The first case explores a perplexing challenge in modern media: conflicts of interest for online publications. The second is based on a composite of events and choices faced by a public relations practitioner. For each case, you (and your classmates) are first asked to identify the central problems, and then to define the moral dilemmas. You will find a number of problems nestled within each case. Not all the problems are moral or ethical ones. Some are personal, pragmatic, or craft-based “non-moral” concerns that impinge upon essential moral dilemmas. The goal at this early juncture is not to completely work through all the subtleties of both cases, but to discover the basic nature of the problems. Once you’ve carefully defined the problems, the job of resolving them becomes much easier.
