By Lawrence Sunday Ogwang
(+256782516677)
a)
Kidder’s ethical decision-making format is an appropriate process in making
ethical decisions in media management and practice. How applicable is this to
Uganda’s media environment?
Ethical dilemmas in media are common and can
create challenges to workplace harmony that can disrupt the exchange of ideas
and block actions critical to establishing an ethical media culture. Even when media
organizations have great policies and procedures and follow the laws and
regulations, there’s still a high risk of unethical behavior. In situations
like this, there are several ethical decision-making format including Kidder’s
that media organization is supposed to employ in order to get out of trouble.
Kidder’s ethical decision-making format is an
appropriate process in making ethical decisions in media management and
practice. It is applicable to Uganda’s media environment in the following ways:
Problem
identification
According to Kidder, problem
identification is the first step in any situation that poses an ethical
dilemma. This is applicable to all institutions that may be facing a crisis
including any Uganda’s media environment. Once the problem is identified in the
media environment, it is easy to proceed to another level towards addressing
the dilemma. It is completely unethical to react on any issue that comes up
without first establishing or identifying the problem at hand. This fast
reaction has made many media houses to lose very resourceful workers who could
have not been lost if the actual problem were identified earlier enough.
Determine
the actors
In every dilemma, there are
parties involved. In order to come out with an ethical decision in any media
environment according to Kidder, it is important to determine the actors
involved in the issue raising the dilemma. The actors could be two media houses
or even within one media house. So, after identification of the problem and
having gathered the relevant facts, determining the actors is another step to
help forge a way forward to another level.
Gather
relevant facts
Analysis cannot be performed until after all the facts have
been gathered. Skillful assessment and interviewing by the concerned party
should result in the information necessary for critical deliberation.
Collecting and examining all the details may reveal a different scenario than
originally determined. Two core values may not actually be in conflict. The
facts might reveal something pertinent in addressing the dilemma. In this case, the perceived dilemma may be
successfully addressed. It is vital to
understand all the facts.
Test for
right versus wrong issues
In situations where in media organization ethical
concerns arises, one must establish that what appears to be an ethical dilemma
is not simply a matter of right and wrong. One must consider whether it is a
moral temptation or an ethical dilemma. This is a most important step in which
you must maintain objectivity in analysis. Five tests distinguish wrongdoing
from an ethical dilemma. These tests are;
·
The legal test. Does the choice or action
violate any media or civil laws?
·
The front page test. How will the actors feel if
the choice or action becomes common knowledge in the community?
·
The instinctive feeling test. Does the choice or
action intuitively feel "wrong?"
·
The role model test. Would a respected mentor
approve of the choice or action?
·
The professional standards test. Does the choice
or action violate any part of the Professional Code of Ethics?
Test for
right versus wrong values
After gathering the facts, if two core values are indeed in
conflict, the one in charge and in a media environment needs to categorize the
dilemma in to one of four following paradigms for analysis; Truth versus loyalty; Personal honesty
or truthful-ness in conflict with responsibility to relationships, promise
keeping, and fidelity. Justice versus
mercy; Fairness, equality in conflict with empathy, understanding,
compassion. Individual versus community;
Autonomy, individual rights in conflict with the rights of the larger
community. Short term versus long term;
the immediate needs of the present in conflict with responsibility to the
future.
Apply
philosophical perspectives
After all the above steps, apply philosophical
foundations in your ethical decision. This particular aspect, gives you a
variety of choice to guide you in your decision in the face of ethical dilemma.
These perspectives includes; Kant’s categorical
imperative. Here Kant says truth is universal and it must be maintained at all
times no matter the consequences. So, in making ethical decision in a media
environment, you can chose to use the philosophy of Kant that exhorts you to
stick to the truth at all times no matter what it can cost you.
Alternatively, Aristotle emphasizes the golden
mean principle. He says that in any ethical dilemma, you should maintain the
middle ground and avoid extremes. This too, can help you when faced with an
ethical dilemma and you have to make decision in your media house.
Look for a
third way
This third way is sometimes referred to as trilemma. This when you seek a
completely different opinion to help all the actors involved. A completely
different opinion may involve encouraging the parties to engage in dialogue or
even you resort to counseling them. The trilemma option seeks a win-win
approach to resolving the dilemma in any media environment.
Make a
decision
As soon as all options have been considered, a
choice must be made. Often when the moment of choice arrives and the actor
procrastinates about making the decision. Choosing not to decide, however, also
constitutes a decision.
Revisit
and reflect on the decision
After
a period of time, one needs to mentally replay the dilemma scenario. This is
usually called reflection. In reflecting on the resolution of the dilemma, you
should ask:
•
If
presented with the same set of circumstances, would I make the same
decision again?
•
Can I live with the decision I made?
•
Was my decision made based on facts and analyzed using the appropriate dilemma
paradigm and resolution .principle?
Reflection is not only valuable
to assess the decision after the fact, it is an important tool in preparing for
the next ethical dilemma. Regular reflection on personal core values is
essential to maintain ethical fitness. To maintain this state of personal
ethical fitness, you prepares to make tough choices.
b) As a student of Principles of management, discuss any other four
Philosophical foundations you can base on in ethical decision making, and their
relevance to today’s journalism practice.
Making an ethical decision based
on philosophical foundations when faced with a dilemma is paramount. There are
several ethical philosophies which help a decision-maker to understand the
situation better especially in today’s journalism practice. Some of the ethical
philosophies are:
The Potter Box model
The Potter Box model is an
ethical framework used to make decisions by utilizing four categories which
Potter identifies as universal to all ethical dilemmas. It uses four dimensions
of moral analysis to help in situations where ethical dilemmas occur: Facts,
Values, Principles, and Loyalties. It was introduced by Ralph Potter, a Harvard
philosopher and theologian. This model is a tool for making an effective
ethical decision, which guides a decision-maker towards a judgment. It is based
on the idea that ethical dilemmas result from conflicts that arise from the
situation at hand, the values we hold, the principles we use to make our
decisions, and the duties we have to others.
Illustration
|
Situations
|
principles
|
|
Values
|
Loyalty
|
Situation (Facts)
To make a decision, one will have to follow
four steps also known as four quadrants. The first quadrant is to define the
situation it is also known as facts. In this step, you have to collect as much
information as available about how the situation arose and how the situation is
now. You have to list all the facts for a better understanding. You should not
hide any of the facts without making any judgment about the ethical dilemma you
are trying to solve.
Values
Values are the aspects that are
considered to be important to you personally. This helps to find out what is
wrong/right, good/bad to you. For instance, if you value both truth and
privacy, then you may be willing to give up some truth to attempt to preserve
someone’s privacy. Values are helpful in rationalizing or defending your
behaviour. When you reach a conclusion, your decision should not go against
your values. In addition to personal values, there are professional values,
moral values, logical values, cultural values and others which sometimes you
have to keep in mind.
Principles
Principles help you to think
about what serves the greatest good. What we would want others to do in this
situation is considered. Principles are ethical philosophies or modes of
ethical reasoning. There are several ethical philosophies which help a
decision-maker to understand the situation better.
Loyalty
The last quadrant is loyalties.
It determines to whom you must be loyal in the situation. It concerns who you
have support or loyal to. The four important loyalties are to your employer,
your profession, society and yourself. In this step, you have to decide to whom
you should be loyal to. Discussion of loyalty may lead to new facts that
necessitate following the four steps again.
This model is relevant to
today’s journalism practice as well because at one point or the other, a
journalist will have to make a decision in a given ethical dilemma. Considering
the four dimensions if one is to make a right decision.
Mill’s Principle of Utility
This philosophical principle states that an
act’s rightness is determined by its contribution to a desirable end. Consider
what course will yield the best consequences for the welfare of people. It
explains that we must seek the greatest happiness for the greatest number of
people.
This is relevant in today’s
journalism practice because a journalist does not operate to give satisfaction
to himself but the public because of the social contract to keep the public
informed, educated and entertained. For example, while publishing an article on
investigative reporting, the results may harm some people but it must be
providing a greater societal benefit. In brief, this step involves identifying
your principle or philosophy that suits you. But while choosing the principle,
you should be sure that it is applicable to your situation. Your decision
should not oppose what you identify in this step.
Judaeo-Christian Principles
This principle adopts the fact
that “Love your neighbor as you love yourself”. The "Golden Rule" of Leviticus 19:18
was quoted by Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 7:12; see also Luke 6:31) and
described by him as the second great commandment. The common English phrasing
is "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". In brief,
this principle exhorts a decision maker to consider the effects of that on the
other person.
In today’s
journalism where some people are inclined to harming others by their words and
posts, this principle is equally applicable and relevant. As much as journalist
as out to break news to the public, they should first consider the effects of
such posts on the victims, considering that one day they may fall in the same
trap. So, if they don’t want to be humiliated, then they should restrain from
publishing or broadcasting what can humiliate others. Thus, "Do unto
others as you would have them do unto you".
The principle of Relativism
Relativism is a philosophical theory
that holds that morality is relative to the norms of one's culture. That is,
whether an action is right or wrong depends on the moral norms of the society
in which it is practiced. The same action may be morally right in one society
but be morally wrong in another. This principle generally makes clear the point
that there is nothing universal because people perceive things differently and
what is true to one may not be true to all. This brings to the conclusion that
everything including truth and moral principles is relative.
In today’s
journalism, this principle is relevant in the sense that in whatever story we
publish or broadcast, we should be careful not to impose our own thinking and
belief on others considering that something are relative. What we think is
wrong, some people considers it right and what a journalist may take for truth,
some people may take it for false. So, in our journalism practice today, we
must consider relativism in every decision we may be faced with.
c.) With local illustrations, distinguish between ‘utility
maximization’ and ‘profit maximization’ in the context of media.
Utility maximization refers to the concept that
individuals and firms or media organizations seek to get the highest
satisfaction from their economic decisions.
When deciding how to spend a fixed some, individuals will purchase the
combination of goods/services that give the most satisfaction. In the media
perspective, it would mean for instance that the media owners derive
satisfaction from media equipment he or she has bought from the meager
resources. The proprietor should be able to derive satisfaction for example
from the studio microphones bought. If with the meager resources, the
proprietor can buy many cheap studio microphones than the expensive ones, he
should be able to get fulfillment in the cheap microphones bought.
Utility maximization is based on the following
assumptions:
1. Consumers are assumed to be
rational, trying to get the most value for their money.
2. Consumers’ incomes are limited
because their individual resources are limited. They face a budget constraint.
3. Consumers have clear preferences
for various goods and services, thus they know their MU for each successive
units of the product.
4. Every item has a price tag.
Consumers must choose among alternative goods with their limited money incomes.
Profit Maximization on the other hand
is the capability of a business or a media company in this case to earn the
maximum profit with low cost which is considered as the chief target of any
business and also one of the objectives of financial management. According to
financial management, profit maximization is the approach or process which
increases the profit or Earnings per Share (EPS) of the business. More
specifically, profit maximization to optimum levels is the focal point of
investment or financing decisions.
In other words, profit maximization
in a media context means, reducing the margin between cost of production and
revenue. For example, a media company may decide to employ a worker who has
multiple skills in as far as media operation is concerned like, news anchoring,
field reporting, marketing and other roles. This will reduce the cost of
production in the radio if one person can be work in several areas other than
employing many workers to handle each of these fields which would lead to high
cost of production but with less profit.
No comments:
Post a Comment