Media Ethics

Throughout this semester I will be writing about chapters in the book Controversies in Media Ethics by A. David Gordon and John Michael Kittross. The first chapter is an overview about ethics and different theories that try to explain ethics in the media. The theory I have chosen to focus on for this blog entry is the Social Contract Theory. This theory links morality to the state or society. In this theory people are used as moral agents. They affect other people to decide what is moral or immoral, ethical or unethical. This is very imaginable in todays day and age when so many people are worried about what others might think, or are concerned about every little thing a person does. Sacramento State University gives a nice lay out of social contract theory at                                                   . 

This website helps enforce the idea that people are worried about what others will think. 

         Another aspect of social contract theory is the fact that people in media do what is deemed ethical because they have nothing to gain by breaking the rules. People rely on one another to follow the rules. This is what helps keed things in order. People are expected to make the ethical decision.

         I believe this is a very applicable theory because it holds true to what modern people believe in. There is a conscience in everyone telling them to do the right thing, and they are expected to follow that. In doing so they encourage others to do the same thing. And thus people act as moral agents, keeping each other in line. We as humans are social creatures, so it is natural for us to interact and make good decisions in the presence of others. This is run of the mill ethics. People always want to get ahead, but they can’t always do that by being unethical, so they are ethical. They follow the rules and that encourages everyone to follow the rules.