A profession in media will present one with many ethical dilemmas and the choices made by the individual will affect not only the outcome of the dilemma but the person making the decision. In the future I would like to be involved in corporate communications for large businesses. Although, I will probably be focusing on reporting on multiple aspects of the corporation, I would like to focus mainly on corporate social responsibility; ensuring the community is aware of the organizations social commitment and maintaining the company’s reputation within the community.
This job will present me with many ethical dilemmas in which I will be forced to make ethical decisions. It is very possible that this profession may put me in a position in which I will have to make a decision on whether or not to withhold information in order to maintain a company’s good reputation.
In 2000, a tire company by the name of Firestone went under investigation after a report indicated that 300 car accidents had occurred due to problems with Firestone’s tires. The company maintained that their number one priority was consumer safety and they were taking all the necessary steps in fixing the problem. Three months into the investigation, Firestone was forced to recall over 6 million tires after PR experts found that the company failed to take necessary and immediate action after reports revealed problems with their tires. The fact that the company took action when they were exposed to the public led people to believe, that Firestone was more concerned with preserving their image than saving lives. In the end Firestones image was damaged and their sales and revenues dropped significantly. They also faced lawsuits amounting to $50 million (Winfred) .
It’s no question that Firestone should have handled the situation in a more ethical manner. When I handle ethical situations I like to use a four step process as follows.
1. What is causing the ethical dilemma and what decisions need to be made?
2. Who will be affected by the decision?
3. How will they be affected by the decision?
4. Why will they be affected by the decision?
Once these questions have been answered, its then up to the decision maker/decision makers to use moral judgment to make the most ethical decision. One moral tool that I always like to fall on is the Golden Rule- “do unto others as you would like them to do unto you”.
In the book Media Ethics by Philip Patterson and Lee Wilkins, different models to aid in ethical decisions are presented. One tool/model that I really like is the Bok Model. Bok states that when making ethical decisions, we should have empathy for those involved and maintaining social trust is a fundamental good (Patterson & Lee, 2011) . Social trust is an important aspect of the media/business world. When consumers loose trust with an organization it can mean a loss in sales and revenue and it can essentially put a company out of business.
Bok also presents a 3 step process for tackling ethical dilemmas:
1. Consult your conscious about the rightness of the action you plan to take. How do you feel about the action?2. Seek expert advice.
3. If necessary conduct a public discussion with the parties involved.
Bok’s model combined with the four step model I presented can provide someone with the necessary tools to make a well thought out and analyzed ethical decision.
We should never rest on the ethical tools/models that we have or are familiar with. There is always room to improve upon our decision making. This year I am taking a course in media ethics and it is my hope that by conversing with classmates and reading course material that I will become familiar with more ethical tools and guidelines and also be able to answer these questions:
· What are some times in which it is better for an individual to be overlooked in order to bring benefits to a group? Is this ethical?
· Should we look to treat people the same because we are all equal in the eyes of the law or should we look to treat people fairly when making ethical decisions? (Treating people equally could imply that we are all the same and not individuals and fair treatment could mean ensuring that the people involved get what they deserve).
Works Cited
Patterson, P., & Lee, W. (2011). Media Ethics. New York: McGraw Hill.
Winfred. (n.d.). Withholding Information: The Firestone Tire Recall Case Study. Retrieved January 6, 2010, from Public Relations: The Ethical Dilemma: http://prethicaldilemma.blogspot.com/2008/01/firestone-tyre-recall-case-study.html
By,Olufemi Akinpetide
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