Going over the PowerPoint slides from this lecture, I am struck by the humour in the topic. There is also a far more serious side to this, so keep that in mind. Without any further ado, please enjoy my weekly journalism lecture post.
The images to the right are two classic examples of how sexual themes and profanities attract consumer attention, whether through humour or other mechanisms.
Another tasteless--bordering on unethical--advertisement I had already seen, is this banned one for Guinness:
Many of you would have found this an extremely distasteful ad, especially if you are female. This is where the theories of ethics come in, because journalism practice and professional communication are guided by deontological ethics and codes.
1. Deontology: duties, rules, principles. All ethics codes are deontological, 'you will do the right thing by following these rules'.
2. Teleology/Consequentialism: where the ends may justify the means, and the 'how' doesn't matter, as long as the right outcome is reached.
3. Virtue: the courage, justice, temperance and prudence of a character are the 'golden mean of behaviour'. (i.e. courage is the middle-ground of cowardice and rashness; justice is the middle-ground of the injustice of overzealous law and that of lawlessness).
The codes include MEAA, PRIA, AFA, and AANA. The MEAA principles include honesty, fairness, independence, respect for the rights of others. Among the aptly named 'Code Overkill' list containing the various and many codes on journalism, were only some codes which were familiar to me, such as the Commercial TV Code of Practice, Commercial Radio Code of Practice. Yet, these codes must have a big influence on the content that viewers and listeners access and are presented with, for example the AANA Code of Ethics or Code for Advertising & Marketing Communications to Children. Potentially, these codes ensure content is appropriate and yes, ethical.
-Bon
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