Communication, Ethics, and Society - Assignment Example

Insert The news reports on the carnival cruise ship d “Triumph” failed to follow the ethical specifications of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) (Brown & Black, 2011). Comparing the ship’s predicament to Hurricane Katrina was a severe case of misrepresentation. Portraying the story in this manner possibly sent unnecessary shock waves. Many followers of this story might have interpreted the comparison to the devastating Hurricane to mean a catastrophic shipwreck which was not close to the truth.

It is grossly unethical for Media houses with viewership all over the world such as the Cable News Network to create false alarms. CNN’s story seemed more about creating a trending story on their network rather than reporting the plight of stranded passengers on a stranded cruise ship.evidently, the cruise ship’s accident was not catastrophic and that is perhaps why it elicited comical re-incarnation by live comedy shows. SPJ also requires journalists to ensure that they minimize possible harm resulting from the news they cover (Baran et al, 2012).

CNN helicopters and boats kept hovering above and around the stalled ship. This act was highly insensitive to the passengers who were already nervous because it made them more tense and made them panic even more. The relatives of the passengers on the cruise ship were subjected to trauma by comparison of the ship accident to Hurricane Katrina which gave an impression of mass loss of lives. Assessments of the story point towards the conclusion that it was given unnecessary full-time coverage. The magnitude of the ship mishap was overly blown out of proportion and the story created a major hype with misdirected intentions.

A story of such rating, warranted a much more honest representation of the true facts while avoiding the irresponsible comparison to Hurricane Katrina. However the story can not be said to poorly represent America because it was not a representation of the lives of Americans but an isolated case of a sea cruise gone wrong. The far the story went in terms of damaging reputations was to shed bad light on the company owning the ship. Work CitedBrown, Fred, and Jay Black.

Journalism Ethics: A Casebook of Professional Conduct for News Media. Portland, Or: Marion Street Press, 2011. Print.Baran, Stanley J, Stanley J. Baran, and Dennis K. Davis. Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, 2012. Print.