Another excellent analysis from our friend Coach Michael Andersen in Washington state, prepping his (very lucky) team for the Oregon High School Ethics Bowl. Thanks as always, Michael! And thanks to your team for sharing your superb coaching with the broader ethics bowl community.
Buenas dias, filosofos. This week, with Case # 11 “Just the Facts,” we’re looking into the ethics of journalism, the desirability of objective reporting, and whether news organizations have an ethical duty to maintain a certain relationship to the general public.
Today’s Discussion Topic
⦾ Do news organizations have an ethical duty to maintain a certain relationship to the general public?
⦾ If so, what is the nature of that relationship?
⦾ What, if any, is the value of objectivity in journalism?
Pre-Discussion Resources
- (Video) “How to choose your news – Damon Brown” @ TedEd (6-4-14). “How do we choose which news to consume? Get the scoop on how opinions and facts affect the news and how to tell them apart.” [4:48]
- (Video) “How Journalists Minimize Bias” @ Facing History.org (6-4-14). “Journalists discuss the idea of bias and explain the processes they follow to combat bias in their reporting.” [6:31, Transcript PDF]
NHSEB Regional Ethics Bowl #11. Just the Facts
Mr. A’s Coaching Tips on This Case
- What is the moral question? What makes this an ethical issue?
Grasping the moral dimension of this case may require you to step back and look at the broader picture of the journalism profession—it’s history here in America (and elsewhere), and especially with recent trends toward sensationalism, bias, corporate influence, and political polarization in news reporting. Surely, citizens of a democracy should care about whether the journalism they rely on for a healthy participation in government, or in other areas of social life, offers a quality (accurate, insightful) or shoddy (distorting, manipulative) view on the wider world. We have a shared interest in this project of improving journalism standards, either indirectly through our consumer habits (i.e., which news outlets we pay for or routinely tune in to) or more directly (e.g., through letters to the editor, calling in to radio shows, lobbying for stricter legislation governing news outlets, etc.).
The goal of robust objectivity or neutrality standards for professional news outlets is a moral issue because we need to trust these sources of information, and their reputation matters for their own sense of integrity, as well as our collective perception of it. (After all, journalists are people too, and they presumably care about the quality of the work they do, which provides them a meaningful sense that their work is worthwhile. Likewise, as citizens our sense of consulting the news to be informed must produce a feeling that such activity is worthwhile, and that the alternative—ignorance and apathy—is a worse option for us all. These ethical sources of meaning depend on the aforementioned standards of journalistic professionalism, since such standards provide the foundation of our trust that a news outlet’s reporting activity will result in truthful, insightful news.) So, consider trust and integrity as moral compass points that shape most people’s moral intuitions about the credibility of news outlets and the role they play in forming public opinion.
Clearly, Q1 refers to the “ethical duty” that news organizations owe to the general public, and Q3 inquires about “the value of objectivity”; so the case authors are obviously encouraging you to consider what is at stake morally for the parties involved (and more broadly for our society’s regard for the role the Press in a vibrant democracy). The case description notes how editors either fired, restricted, or banned these reporters when and where their personal histories with the topics reported on were seen to jeopardize the perceived integrity of the news organizations employing them. Given the reporters’ public history with these controversial topics (deemed a source of bias that compromised the objectivity and neutrality of their reporting), were these reactions by the news outlets warranted, in your team’s opinion? Or would an alternative approach to the situation be more morally defensible?
Consider too how trust and integrity are in tension with the value of fairness (as a form of justice). Fairness (as a form of justice) seems like an obvious moral concern for those sympathetic to the reporters’ perspective—since they clearly feel that their jobs and reputations were unfairly sacrificed “to protect the objectivity and neutrality of the reporting in question” (or at least the public’s perception of these ideals). If these reactions by their employers were indeed unjustly discriminatory, then fairness (as a form of justice) would be the anchor moral concept of any argument explaining that position. An interesting and parallel point here: one might also argue that trust and integrity go both ways: that the leaders of news outlets have a duty within their organizations to maintain an atmosphere of trust and integrity among their corps of reporters, since they won’t attract quality talent for long if these virtues are lacking in their day-to-day operations. Discuss with your team if an ideal balance of these values—trust, integrity and fairness—is achievable to arrive at the most morally defensible handling of these situations when they arise.
Maybe the goal of a robust journalism ethics can take cues from the field of law? Lawyers and judges typically recuse themselves from cases where they have a personal connection to the defendant or conflict of interest in the case’s outcome. A standard set of courtroom protocols ensures that these lawyers or judges are properly vetted from the procedures governing such cases, thereby maintaining credibility of the justice system as a whole (well, in theory at least). Should all journalists similarly recuse themselves from reporting on topics about which they exhibit a strong personal investment? How would such potential conflicts of interest be reliably determined, and what threshold of a reporter’s “personal investment” would necessitate recusal? Is their editor’s judgment sufficient? Is there a similar concern for the editors’ own biases? Some might view such a system of journalistic recusal as unnecessary to ensure “objective reporting.” After all, reporting on a controversial story isn’t quite the same as serving as a lawyer or judge in a criminal case, they might claim. What do you think? Are there common standards of practice for reporters that could be instituted to allow them to report on an issue, even though the reporter in question has strong personal convictions or personal history related to the topic?
An intriguing sidebar issue in philosophy, sociology and psychology is whether the ideals of objectivity and neutrality that govern most professional investigative sciences or practices can, in fact, present a distorting—rather than reliable—picture of reality. When such investigations involve social and personal realities (like political injustice, racism or sexism) charged with strong emotional content and subjective experience, the ideal of extracting one’s point of view from the messy details of life to that of a neutral spectator, removed and non-committed to the phenomena at hand, strikes many critics as outdated. [See Resources #2 and #6 below for more details.]
A fourth value (or virtue) is mentioned in the case description worth deliberating on: “What is better, say critics of objectivity, is to report the facts while also acknowledging one’s (limited and biased) point of view. This is a sign of humility, and it may also have the benefit of opening up more ethical reporting standards.” How, if at all, should humility play a role in moderating decisions about a news organization’s attempts to strive for objectivity—and thereby attain not just a semblance of institutional integrity but a genuine form of it? Can a set of journalism protocols be developed that emphasizes (and balances) all four of these values? Clarifying and instituting such a balanced set of guidelines could then inform day-to-day reporting practices, resulting in a more robust safeguarding of the news organization’s perceived worth, both externally and internally. (Of course, there remains the problem of clarifying what humility (or any other virtue) in reporting and editorial oversight actually looks like in practice. Is such a virtue-based goal realistic?)
What do you think? Are there other moral values (virtues) or principles that are relevant to answering Discussion Qs 1-3? I’ve emphasized here a kind of Virtue Ethics approach, but maybe there’s a Deontological or Consequentialist view of the the moral tensions raised by Case #11. Maybe it’s convincing to emphasize the rights due to the reporters here (although I tend to agree with Prof. Deaton about why rights-based appeals can be problematic). Maybe there’s an ideal balancing of interests of the parties involved that would somehow maximize happiness, perceived welfare or preference satisfaction. Good luck in your investigations!
Helpful (But Optional) Resources for Further Study:
- (Resource) “Current Topics: An Undergraduate Research Guide : Fake News. @ Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries. ”This research guide provides information on recognizing fake news articles and websites, fact-checking, and researching fake news.” EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a superb resource! Bookmark it on your home + Chrome browser, and make sure that you study the definitions of “bias” (both “explicit bias” and “implicit bias”).
- (Video) “Should Journalism Be Objective? Serial: Part 2.” @ Idea Channel | PBS Digital Studios. Jan 28, 2015. “Welcome to PART DEUX of our discussion of “Serial”, the insanely popular podcast hosted by Sarah Koenig. Last week we discussed objectivity in the law, and this week we’re turning our attention to objectivity in journalism. Journalists have been tasked with objective reporting for decades, but is that a realistic goal? Can any journalist be TRUELY objective?” [12:18] NOTE: The theme of transparency vs. objectivity in journalism is briefly outlined in this related lecture excerpt: “Jorge Ramos on Objectivity & Neutrality in Reporting.” [1:59]
- (Article) “Why journalism is shifting away from ‘objectivity’.” @ The Christian Science Monitor. July 6, 2017. By Harry Bruinius. “Amid the unusual pressures of the Trump era, some are advocating a more interpretive or even combative approach to journalism – and argue that it will do more to help society.”
- (Video) “Unprecedented attacks and distrust for the media? History says no..” @ The Christian Science Monitor. June 23, 2017. “The president’s attacks on the media and the public’s mistrust for it are nothing new. Decades-long trends have set the stage for them.” [8:34]
- (Video) “Objectivity and Truth in Journalism: Is It Possible?” @ FORA.tv (Dec 24, 2012). “Scott Lettieri, news reporter for KGO radio, speculates whether an objective truth exists in journalism. Acknowledging that journalists strive for complete and absolute truth, Lettieri declares that citizens should synthesize all avenues of media and news to find it.” [3:37] POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING: The journalist interviewed here briefly (and non-graphically) recounts a story of a woman who was kidnapped, raped, and had become a victim of sex trafficking. Some students might find this brief account disturbing.
- (Video) “Objective vs Subjective (Philosophical Distinction)” @ Carneades.org (7-10-16) “An explanation of the difference between objective and subjective, and definitions of each of these terms. How can you tell if something is objective or subjective? If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound?” [5:31] EDITOR’S NOTE: Like many ethical topics, the moral dimension of this case intersects with other areas of philosophy—here, the epistemology and metaphysics related to knowing and discerning whether the ideal of journalistic objectivity is something properly categorized as subjective or objective. Without going down a rabbit hole too far, you should know that these sidebar topics will come up in the dispute about whether a news organization can trust a reporter (a subject), plus the editorial oversight process, to reliably maintain sufficient psychological distance from the topic reported on (presumably about which the reporter has some kind of personal investment). Are reporters reliably capable of the mental discipline needed to meet objectivity standards, and thereby ensure credibility of the news organization with the public? What kind of objectivity are we talking about? (Surely, journalism isn’t a science, where the objects of study remain consistent enough in time and space to render “objective” findings.) Is the ideal of objectivity in journalism even attainable for human reporters? (I.e., cue the pessimist’s view that “It’s ALL subjective; objectivity doesn’t exist!” ) …I think you get the picture. I recommend a practical lens when considering these questions. A pure objectivity for the human sciences or for professions like journalism may not be possible; nevertheless, the aim of objectivity might be practically necessary to differentiate quality from shoddy journalistic practice.
- (Video) “Real News vs. Fake News.” @ Univ of Louisville Research Assistance & Instruction. Jun 19, 2020. “Citizen Literacy is an online toolkit that promotes the development of key information skills for democratic citizenship and features short videos, handouts, and activities that faculty across all disciplines can integrate into their courses and assignments.”
- (Video) “How to Spot Fake News – FactCheck.org” @ FactCheck. “Fake news is nothing new. But bogus stories can reach more people more quickly via social media than what good old-fashioned viral emails could accomplish in years past.” [3:22]
- (Article) “How Implicit Bias Works in Journalism” @ Nieman Reports. By Issac J. Bailey, Nov. 13, 2018. “Avoiding the pitfalls of hidden biases can lead to better story selection and more inclusive reporting. …A commitment to addressing implicit bias—an automatic or unconscious tendency to associate particular characteristics with particular groups—in news coverage could improve and transform audience engagement, increase trust, and lead to more accurate coverage depicting our increasingly diverse world.”
- (Article + Video) “The Unbiased Media: Are Journalistic Ethics Overriding Human Ethics? | How to Survive in a World Accustomed to Fear” @ Big Think. (9-1-16) “Recent research in psychology reveals insights into how the stories we are exposed to affect our identities and ideas. What implications does this hold for the influence of the news and the ethics of journalism?” [7:57]
- (Resource) “Media Bias Ratings” @ AllSides Media. “Everyone is biased — and that’s okay. But hidden media bias misleads, manipulates and divides us. AllSides Media Bias Ratings™ make media bias transparent, helping you to easily identify different perspectives so you can get the full picture and think for yourself.”
- (Video) “Political media’s bias, in a single chart” @ Newsy. (Dec 28, 2018) “Vanessa Otero set out to rank an ever-growing partisan media landscape, with the belief that an informed public is a better public.” [4:26]
- (Video) “Confirmation Bias | Ethics Defined” @ McCombs School of Business. (Jan 28, 2021) “Confirmation bias is the tendency of people’s minds to seek out information that supports the views they already hold. It also leads people to interpret evidence in ways that support their pre-existing beliefs, expectations, or hypotheses.” [2:20]
- (Resource + Video) “What Is Bias? | Why Do Our Brains Love Fake News? | The Backfire Effect” @ Flathead Valley Community College – LibGuides – Evaluating Sources – Dealing with Bias.
- (Article) “The lost meaning of ‘objectivity’.” @ American Press Institute “This guide, like many of the others in API’s Journalism Essentials section, is largely based on the research and teachings of the Committee of Concerned Journalists — a consortium of reporters, editors, producers, publishers, owners and academics that for 10 years facilitated a discussion among thousands of journalists about what they did, how they did it, and why it was important. The author, Walter Dean, was CCJ training director and API Executive Director Tom Rosenstiel formerly co-chaired the committee.”
Related Ethics Bowl Cases:
- 2015-16 Regional HSE201B Case #8. Reporting on a Scandal: “The editor of the high school’s newspaper learns that a community service group has not functioned according to school rules: they awarded service hours in exchange for money raised. The leader of the club expresses regret and asks the editor not to publish the allegations because they will hurt his chances of college admission. How should the editor weigh her journalistic responsibilities against a student’s right to privacy?”
2. 2016-17 National HSEB Case #14. Responsibility for implicit bias: “Should we blame people for having or acting on implicit biases, and if so how much? How should the fact that implicit biases are so widespread influence what we think about them?”
3. 2016-17 National HSE201B Case #7. Teaching all sides: “Should a high school teacher in a class that studies many controversial subjects teach all sides of every issue or favor some sides over others? Should she use her own judgement, teach all sides of public opinion, or defer to experts and scientists? What questions can she treat as open and what questions should she teach as closed?”