The Media and Its Responsibilities - Essay Example

The Media and its Responsibilities The Media and its Responsibilities The responsibilities of the media range from informing, entertaining, exposing, and directing the agenda in human societies. In the course of carrying out many of these responsibilities, the media may also play the role of activism in defending the vulnerable and clamoring for the rights of the under-represented and the unrepresented. Over the times, many injustices have been redressed through the unrelenting focus of the media. Human rights abuses, bad governance practices, corruption, crime, different forms of discrimination have been exposed and challenged by the media (Christians, 2009). The media has continued to crusade for rights of the minority, better healthcare, improved education standards, environmental conservation in ways that seek to improve the welfare of communities and groups. To this extent, the media remains a formidable force for positive social transformation for the present and future generations. On the negative side, the media has incurred criticisms from groups, individuals, and sections of the society for practices considered generally unethical or harmful to consumers (Ward, 2011). Claims of explicit content reaching children and individuals with sensibilities continue to affect the positive aspects of the media. Moreover, there are increasing concerns of unethical professional practices among journalists and media houses with calls of increased regulation coming from religious organizations and other facets of the society’s leadership. It is important to consider the fact that some of the criminal activities in the society have been blamed on the loose regulations of the media content particularly with regard to uncensored exposure of pornographic materials and violent media content (Ward, 2011). The negative aspects of the media have tended to increase with the increasing regulation of the airwaves and the growth of the information communication and technology infrastructure across the globe. Philosophically, a comprehensive analysis of the media and its responsibilities could incorporate the theories of utilitarianism, virtue ethics and deontology. Both the positive and the negative aspects of the media could be assessed in terms of the ethical underpinnings on which the various actions are based. According to the theory of deontology, people should adhere to their obligations and duties, whenever they make decisions and judgments that have the nature of a moral dilemma (Shafer-Landau, 2012; White, 2009). According to this theory, the moral rightness or wrongness of an action should be weighed in accordance with the kind of duties and obligations that tie them to particular tasks and situations (Shafer-Landau, 2012; White, 2009). Just like other moral theories, deontology has its own strengths and weaknesses that make appropriate in certain situations and irrelevant within other contexts. On the other hand, the theory of utilitarianism emphasizes on the need for people to be guided by the greatest good for the greatest number. The emphasis is on the consequence of an action rather than other moral considerations. Rule utilitarianism differs from act utilitarianism through the guidance of laws as the determining factors (White, 2009). Act utilitarianism strictly focusses on the consequence of an action. Virtue ethics disregards rules and other consequences of actions and places much of the emphasis on the character of the agent. The focus, within the perspective of virtue ethics, is on the matters of virtue and its bearing within the specific act that produces the moral question. From this perspective, it might be considered that virtue ethics are largely driven by certain actions that are necessarily related to the question of good character and bad character as weighed against the person and the actions. The conduct and practice of the media and journalists attract the attention of analysts and philosophers in light with the ethical decisions they have to make in the course of their practice. The state and practice of the media could be seen from the perspective of the different media outlets and the variations in the style, design and content. Over the times, governments and other regulatory bodies have continued to cede ground for increased media participation and freedom in different aspects of the world (Ward, 2011). As such, the media has transformed into one of the most influential organs of the society. The increased media freedom of operation and changing conditions of work has increased the application of a range of theories as various perspectives of merit continue to attract the attention of analysts. Competing perspectives and lack of consensus on standards have resulted in a range of positions that seek to highlight on the theories of media and its responsibilities. In the context of the media and its responsibilities, the theory of deontology could be used to determine the manner in which particular actions weigh against the stated obligations of the media. The responsibility of the media to inform could be seen within the wider picture of its obligation to the society. The media has the obligation of informing the society about all matters within its scope of interest. The media does not limit the amount of issues that engages its interest. Matters of health, politics, ethics and all fields of human concern are broken down into the most basic details for the consumption of the society (Marc, 2011). In the carrying out of these duties, certain conflicts emerge to challenge the manner in which news is packaged. According to media analysts, some of the conflicts that attend to the question of media coverage have to do with the question of rights, liberties, and privacies in terms of how they apply to particular situations (Marc, 2011). Relaying sensitive and private information about an individual, group, or organization may violate certain rights and privileges. On the other hand, concealing such information from the general society may deprive it from certain benefits and rights to information. The balance between serving individual rights and upholding certain rights of the society requires an application of various theories in order to determine the direction of policy and application as determined through the resolution of the attendant conflict (Marc, 2011). Many times, the media worldwide has incurred various litigations for reasons ranging to violation of privacies to the disclosure of privileged information. Within the understanding of the theory of utilitarianism, the resolving of the dilemma concerning the dilemma over the safeguarding of privacies versus the obligation of providing information should focus on the consequences (Shafer-Landau, 2012). Naturally, a proponent of utilitarianism will seek to weigh the situation in light of the greatest good to the greatest number (Shafer-Landau, 2012). This would be considered from the perspective of act utilitarianism. The dilemma would be resolved in a manner that favors the majority over the individual. In this case, the wider society would be offered the information at the expense of the rights of the minority. For instance, sensitive information relating to a prominent member of the society would be relayed to the public regardless of the kind of damage that the same information would have on the individual and members of his family. The media would also act in accordance with virtue ethics in the discharge of its duties and obligation. In this regard, the media would act in ways that are consistent with the moral good of the society. One of the challenges that follow the role of the media in discharge of its duties relates to the connection between the relaying of information and the defending of morality and social ethics (Christians, 2009). Some information does not necessarily relate to the question of morality. Sometimes the presentation of social events may require the disclosure of highly titillated information that may be harmful to pockets of the society. The discussion of the matters of morality may require the provision of highly titillated information in graphic details. In the discharge of its duties, the media may find such information appropriate for the wider public even if it afflicts the sensibilities or feelings of the clergy. Furthermore, the disclosure of sensitive information may be consistent with one of the duties and responsibilities of the media, which is to entertain the society. As such, the disclosure of certain images and information may be considered as obligatory within the perspectives of the theory of deontology. A challenge that engages the attention of analysts is whether the media has to defend the morality of the society or whether it should privilege the dissemination of information even if it contradicts the moral code (Christians, 2009). This challenge comes alongside the determination of the limits of morality. There are no universal standards or yardsticks to measure morality. Some content that is considered innocuous within some community may be rejected as immoral within another society. In line with such consideration, it becomes problematic to set standards of regulating the levels of morality within the media (Christians, 2009). The grey areas in the determination of the question of morality remain one of the greatest challenges in the application of the theories of deontology, utilitarianism and value ethics within the understanding of the media and its responsibilities. The conflict between the processes of morality and the application of the most appropriate rules of the society makes it problematic to situate the media within any specific category concerning the question of responsibility. It is important to consider the fact that some of the issues and processes that relate to the function of the media are weighed in accordance with their specific impacts on different segments of the society. For instance, the determination of the level of impact of the media on the society might be analyzed from the perspective of its impact on schoolchildren (Christians, 2009). According to a range of studies, the media has had some significant negative and positive consequences on schoolchildren although it has also been used as an important tool for positive instruction (Christians, 2009). In many analytical discourses, the understanding of the concept of media responsibility also entails an application of the theories of relativism, ethical egoism and emotivism. Differences in perception, according to the theory of relativism, make it problematic to determine the aspect of validity in any given kind of information (Shafer-Landau, 2012; Boundas, 2007). This makes it problematic that the media to affirm any positions of objectivity in its coverage of news or provision of information. Media proponents tend to hold the opinion that the reports carried in the media is usually authentic. However, other reports indicate that the media reports are also susceptible to untruths, dogmas, biases and perspectives. This implies that all kinds of information supplied by the media have to be assessed from the perspective of subjectivity. The seemingly authoritative positions on matters of corruption, integrity, and other issues, according to the theory of relativism as basically subjective opinions and must be weighed against other alternative perspectives. This position would bring the media into the field of other analytical discourses that seek to strengthen their positions through available theses and alternatives. Relativism seeks to create a platform of knowledge in which various systems of knowledge combine to contribute to a collective body of knowledge without preferential treatment to any particular body of knowledge (Ward, 2011; Marc, 2011). The consequence of such perspectives has to be understood in the competing nature of knowledge in terms of perspectives, positions, ideologies and subjective references. One of the challenges of relativism is that it ignores the possibility of the existence of universal forms of knowledge. The responsibility of the media has often been regarded in terms of instilling ethics and providing direction on potentially divisive matters (Ward, 2011). In the United States and other developed democracies, the media has been known to take positions on referendums, political parties, and other matters that are potentially divisive. As such, the media assumed the position of guide. It provides such guidance with the acknowledge of the fact of its great impact and influence on the general society. The consequence of such action is to sway public opinion towards certain directions. Such decisions are reached after an assessment of the merits in comparison to other available facts and points of view. Within the context of relativism, such positions are to be taken within the limits of perspectives relating to the media house, journalist, or particular journalist. Many media studies consider the determination of public agenda as one of the leading responsibilities of the media (Ward, 2011). This responsibility, according to those who subscribe to this view, involves the determination of the important agenda of the day in terms of some hierarchy of merits that as decided by the media. Those who argue along this line contend that the media is more logistically and materially prepared to determine the most appropriate subjects for discussion. Critics contend that the media does not select an item on the agenda regarding to its level of merit but rather due to some concealed interests (Ward, 2011). As such, the decision and the merits of the decision about the agenda are essentially meant to serve the interests of the media but not the interests of the general good as would be determined through the frameworks of utilitarianism or deontological theories. Appraising the responsibility of the media from the perspective of emotivism could entail the analysis of the kind of content and use of language in the provision of information. According to the theory of emotivism ethical sentences are only limited to showing emotional attitudes. In this sense, they do not extend towards the providing information about propositions. In line with this explanation, ethical sentences as may be used in the media do not tell the consumers any more information beyond the emotional attitudes it captures (Marc, 2011). This position could be attached to a range of explanations, which seek to show the fact that some of the information represented in the media is only sensational. Sometimes, columnists may employ the use of techniques such as logos, pathos, and ethos in order to capture the attention of the readers at different levels (Day, 2006). The same tactics could involve the application of various cinematographic techniques such as visual and auditory techniques to impact on the viewers and listeners at different levels. These techniques may not carry much information but only seek to condition the consumers of the media content towards a certain direction. The use of these techniques may have the effect of pushing the minds of the public in some given directions. Some of these techniques affect the subconscious minds of the consumers in ways that are not easily recognizable at face value. According to some psychological experts, the impact is largely subliminal. It does not reflect on the surface but will be felt in terms of the actions of the consumers and the consequences of those actions. Using this position, one might argue that the media plays a significant role in controlling the mind of the consumers through a range of tactics. The power of the media to influence the mind of the society could be used both positively and negatively. On a positive note, such power could be used to influence the society in processes of social engineering (Day, 2006). It could be used in ways that support processes such as rural development but providing important skills and information that support crucial development processes such support for the education of the girl child. On a negative case, influence of the media has been used in different restive countries as a tool of incitement. This would imply that the theory of emotivism could apply to the media in ways that are both destructive and constructive. From the point of view of ethical egoism, it would appear that the driving motive of the media in carrying out its responsibilities is nothing more that the preservation of self-interest. It would follow that the media would only strive to protect certain goals that support its growth and development. Some of the issues that tie within the theory of ethical egoism could be determined from considering the media in terms of its business interests (Day, 2006). Generally, the nearly all media entities exist for profit of competition. Competition for market and the level of influence often guides the media in making certain decisions that may lack the aspect of truth and objectivity. The overarching goal is the pursuit of profits for some media outlets and influence for others. Pursuit for personal interest in the media has been felt through competition for catchy headlines and the use of language in ways that influence the judgment of readers, viewers, and listeners. In this manner, it becomes important to consider the fact that most of the perspectives of the media are fed by positions and points of view that are consistent with commercial or strategic interests of the media (Marc, 2011). Some media houses align their editorial policies in line with specific objectives, such objectives could be in terms of controlling the interests of certain communities, religious organizations, or interests. The approach to information and responsibility for such media houses becomes consistent with such interests. The media houses such as the Cable News Network (CNN) and the British Broadcasting Corporations (BBC) have been known defenders of liberties and freedoms as understood from the point of view of democracy. Some media outlets do not have effective structures of self-censorship for controlling the kind of information disseminated to consumers. As a result, there is the danger of misinforming the growing minds with regard to some sensitive issues that are pertinent to their growth and education. Threats of indoctrination and deliberate misleading of children remain real in the media world. Case analyses and comparative reports have shown that children who regularly consume media generated information tend to perform poorly at school as compared to those who seek their information and knowledge from formal educational sources (Marc, 2011). Some scholars contend that the kind of information presented by the media is supposed to complement the formal learning systems (Marc, 2011). Past recent studies have shown that many youngsters do not receive appropriate counsel when presented with the kind of information in the media (Christians, 2009). As such, the children are considered increasingly vulnerable to the kind of uncontrolled and unregulated information from media outlets. Questionable levels of professionalism as related to some media outlets have also engaged the concern of media houses in many parts of the world. Challenges facing the media and its responsibilities are associated with poor regulatory regimes that make it difficult for the determination of the requisite levels of professionalism in carrying out the various tasks and processes. Within the understanding of value ethics, the media should conduct its duties and responsibilities in ways that maintain certain thresholds of the moral code as understood within most societies (Christians, 2009). The information must be presented in ways that safeguard the society from the negative influences of the society. In the presentation of some information such as news and documentaries, the media has often been accused of sensationalism and open bias. Such claims would affect the ethics of professionalism and bring the media into conflict with the standards of professionalism and responsibility as would be required under the theory of deontology. The theory of deontology requires the application of some definite duties and responsibilities that must guide the processes of news coverage and the discharge of information. In essence, the discharge of rules and responsibilities would appear to be an abdication of responsibility and duty as understood within the context of the theory and deontology. I would easily combine the theory of deontology to apply on the media and its responsibilities. My opinion is that the media should play its leading roles, which should include the defending of the rights of the minority. I would be uncomfortable with adopting the theory of utilitarianism in its strict sense because it tends to overlook the interests of the minority (Boundas, 2007). The pursuit of the greatest good for the greatest number, whether from the perspective of rule or act utilitarianism would jeopardize of the interests of the underrepresented. While I acknowledge the inherent weaknesses in the theory of deontology, I would contend that moderating the theory with other principles of egalitarianism would make it most appropriate in a world of changing realities. The pursuit of obligation and duty as understood together with the theory of deontology would redeem the media from the challenges of biases, excessive control of self-interest, and other weaknesses that continue to affect the effectiveness of the media in the carrying out of its responsibilities. References Boundas, C., V. (2007). The Edinburgh Companion to Twentieth-Century Philosophies. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Christians, C., G. (2009). Normative Theories of the Media: Journalism in Democratic Societies. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. Day, L., A. (2006). Ethics in media communications: cases and controversies. New York: Thomson, Wadsworth. Marc, R. (2011). The Handbook of Global Media and Communication Policy. New York: Wiley & Sons. Shafer-Landau, R. (2012). Ethical Theory: An Anthology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2012 Ward, S., J., A. (2011). Ethics and the Media: An Introduction. London: Cambridge University Press, 2011 White, J. E. (2009). Contemporary moral problems. Australia: Thomson Wadsworth. Read More