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Codes of Ethics: Many media organizations establish codes of ethics to standardize their employees' behavior in response to events and to safeguard themselves against increased government regulation. Guidelines remind employees that ethical standards are considered important to credibility, profit, and the good of society. Conflict of Interest: Along with government officials and others in positions of responsibility, journalists are under pressure to avoid allowing personal activities or interests to interfere with their professional responsibilities. Journalists have an obligation to strive for unbiased coverage of an event or situation. Credibility as an Economic Incentive for Ethics: Credibility, or a measurement of how trustworthy a journalist or media organization is considered to be, is not just an ethical issue but also an economic one. Some critics believe that for a news organization to remain profitable over time, the public must view it as credible. Ethical Decision Making: Making ethical decisions has been a concern of journalists since at least the early twentieth century, when many reporters wanted to be among the emerging groups of professionals. However, attempts to determine exactly what standards of conduct and moral judgment constitute ethical behavior have resulted in a continuing debate rather than absolute standards. Fundamental Ethical Standards: Although most individuals and groups agree on a few fundamental ethical standards, they often disagree about specifics and about whether fundamental standards are met. The commonly agreed-on standards are accuracy, fairness, balance, accurate representation, and truth. Moral Reasoning Processes: Media ethicists have developed various moral reasoning processes that communication professionals can use to help them make ethical decisions from a principled basis rather than by reacting intuitively. Sensationalism: In the 1980s, many media companies went public (offered sale of their stocks to the public) and became vulnerable to stockholders' demands for continuous high profits. They found that talk shows featuring sensational topics could be produced inexpensively and garner high profits. Other sensational content also seems to attract viewers and readers. However, media companies are also under pressure to balance the need for profit against social responsibility and a high quality of journalistic integrity. Theoretical Approaches to Ethics: The wide variety of theoretical approaches to ethical decision making indicates how hard it is to create ethical standards that apply to all situations. Some theorists argue that this is impossible, that decisions must be made within a specific context. Others suggest that overarching rules can provide contexts within which specific circumstances can be evaluated.
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