Real-World Media Ethics

Philippe Perebinossoff is a member of the Radio, Film & Television faculty at California State University-Fullerton, where he teaches a variety of critical studies courses. He is a former ABC television executive, having been both a network censor and a programming executive, supervising the development of over 200 television movies, including the Oprah Winfrey Presents franchise (such as the Emmy award winning Tuesdays with Morrie). It's important to him that students and industry professionals are able to reconcile ethical maxims in real world situations within the workplace, prompting the writing of this text.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
PREFACE
CHAPTER 1: ETHICAL ISSUES: A STARTING FRAMEWORK
A NEED FOR STUDYING ETHICS
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MEDIA
AN ETHICAL APPROACH
DEFINING THE TERMS
INDUSTRY STANDARDS
DATING
YOU DECIDE
A STARTING FRAMEWORK
PLAYER WANNABE BILL SILVER'S STORY
THE *E*T*H*I*C*S* RUBRIC
CHAPTER 2: BUSINESS ETHICS IN MASS MEDIA
ETHICS IN NEGOTIATIONS
ETHICS AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
ATTORNEYS AND ETHICS
AGENTS AND ETHICS
YOU DECIDE
MANAGERS AND ETHICS
CORPORATE SELF-DEALING
GOVERNMENT REGULATION
RESULTS OF GOVERNMENT REGULATION
PAYOLA
YOU DECIDE
CHAPTER 3: ETHICS AND THE ROLE OF PRODUCERS, WRITERS, ACTORS & DIRECTORS
FINDING MATERIAL: THE SEARCH FOR A GOOD STORY
YOU DECIDE
PRODUCING A STUDENT FILM
PARTNERING
PRODUCING ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE
YOU DECIDE
SELLING
PRODUCERS & THE COARSENING OF THE CULTURE
PRODUCER LOYALTY
YOU DECIDE
PRODUCER FEUDS: MOTIVATED BY EHTICAL CONSIDERATIONS. . . . OR NOT?
VIDEO GAME PRODUCERS & CREATORS
ETHICS & A WRITER'S CREATIVE PROCESS
THE DEBATE OVER CREDITS
YOU DECIDE
ACTORS & ETHICS
DIRECTOR CHOICES
YOU DECIDE
CHAPTER 4: CONTROVERSY & ETHICS
FATAL CONTACT: BIRD FLU IN AMERICA
YOU DECIDE
CATCHING A PREDATOR
YOU DECIDE
OJ REDUX
YOU DECIDE
CROSSING JORDAN & CONTROVERSY
SEX SLAVES
CONTROVERSY OR ADVOCACY
YOU DECIDE
ABORTION
CHILDREN & CONTROVERSY
HOUNDOG
BASTARD OUT OF CAROLINA
EDGES OF THE LORD
YOU DECIDE
CHAPTER 5: ETHICS & PROGRAMMERS
PROGRAMMING DECISIONS & POLITICS
YOU DECIDE
PUBLIC BROADCASTING & POLITICS
SELF-CENSORSHIP & PROGRAMMING DECISIONS
PROGRAMMERS & THE CREATIVE TEAM
YOU DECIDE
YOU DECIDE ROUND 2
BUYER ENTHUSIASM & ETHICAL BEHAVIOR
MEDIATING & ETHICS
FLIGHT 93
DIFFERENT KINDS OF ETHICAL DECISIONS FACING PROGRAMMERS
REALITY & ETHICS
YOU DECIDE
SHORT TAKES
ANIMAL ETHICS
WHEN CURRENT EVENTS IMPACT PROGRAMMING DECISIONS
HOST ACTIONS
BORROWING, COPYING & OUTRIGHT STEALING
YOU DECIDE
MTV & THE PROGRAMMING OF SEX
CHAPTER 6: ETHICS & FACT-BASED STORIES
WHAT'S REAL AND WHAT ISN'T
DOCUMENTARIES & ETHICS
YOU DECIDE
OLIVER STONE
THE FACT POLICE ON THE ATTACK
THE PATH TO 9/11
YOU DECIDE
A MILLION LITTLE PIECES By JAMES FREY
FREELANCE BOOK EDITORS & FACT-BASED PROJECTS
RIGHTS & ETHICS
YOU DECIDE
SECURING APPROVALS CAN RAISE ETHICAL CONCERNS
YOU DECIDE
HOW TO INTERACT WITH RIGHTS HOLDERS ETHICALLY
YOU DECIDE
CHAPTER 7: ETHICS & RATINGS
PG, PG-13, TV-MA, ETC.
MOVIE RATINGS
YOU DECIDE
TELEVISION RATINGS
YOU DECIDE
MUSIC & VIDEO GAMES
AUDIENCE MEASUREMENT: TELEVISION & RADIO
THE BATTLE GETS FIERCE
YOU DECIDE
CHAPTER 8: JOURNALISM & ETHICS
YOU DECIDE
TRIAL BY PRESS
INFOTAINMENT
MAKING UP STORIES
YOU DECIDE
CODE OF ETHICS
CHAPTER 9: ETHICS & NEW MEDIA
YOU DECIDE
ETHICS OF THE ISP (INTERNET SERVICES PROVIDER)
THE POWER OF THE ISP
YOU DECIDE
"FREE” INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS
YOU DECIDE
ETHICS OF GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE
YOU DECIDE
BUILD IT AND THEY WILL (ALL) COME
DOES NET NEUTRALITY EQUAL WORLD CHAOS?
YOU DECIDE
THE ETHICS OF "GOTCHA” POLITICAL BLOGGING
INDIVIDUALS AND INTERNET
YOU DECIDE
CHAPTER 10: CENSORHIP & CELEBRITY
A BROADCAST STANDARDS & PRACTICES QUESTIONNAIRE
VIOLENCE
IMITABLE ACTIONS
BALANCE, ERRORS AND VALUE JUDGMENTS
YOU DECIDE
SEX
YOU DECIDE
A DIFFERENT BS&P APPROACH
YOU DECIDE
PRESSURE GROUPS
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A BS&P VETERAN
HEIGHTENED SENSITIVITY OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS RUN AMUCK?
YOU DECIDE
CELEBRITY
THE TOTAL PICTURE REVEALED
YOU DECIDE
LUNCHING ETHICALLY IN HOLLYWOOD
RIGHT TO KNOW?
REVEALING ALL
YOU DECIDE
CELEBRITY GOSSIP
MEL GIBSON
TOM CRUISE
STAR JONES
CELEBRITY VERIFICATION
YOU DECIDE
CELEBRITY WORSHIP
YOU DECIDE
CHAPTER 11: DIVERSITY & CONSOLIDATION
HOW TO ACHIEVE DIVERSITY
A POSSIBLE INDIRECT DIVERSITY CONNECTION
YOU DECIDE
CONSOLIDATION & DIVERSITY
ADVANCING AN AGENDA
CONSOLIDATION & JOBS
CONSOLIDAITON & INCREASED INDECENCY
YOU DECIDE
CHAPTER 12: THE ETHICS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
CONTROLLED PR MATERIALS
UNCONTROLLED PR AND MEDIA RELATIONS
*E*VALUATE
*T*RUTH AND THE "STORY PITCH” BARGAIN
*T*RUTH OR CONSEQUENCES
*T*RUTH AND CONTROLLED PR MATERIALS
*T*RUTH, WORD-OF-MOUTH AND INTERNET PR
ETHICS AND WORD-OF-MOUTH
YOU DECIDE
*I*NVESTIGATE
*C*ODES OF ETHICS
*S*ITUATION
CHAPTER 13: ETHICAL ISSUES IN ADVERTISING & MARKETING
EXPLOITING CONTROVERSY
YOU DECIDE
PRODUCT PLACMENT AND PRODCUT INTEGRATION
MAKING SURE PRODUCTS ARE ON VIEW
YOU DECIDE
VIRTUAL ADVERTISING
OTHER WAYS TO MARKET
YOU DECIDE
CREATING TELEVISION PROMOTIONAL SPOTS & ETHICS
ARE ETHICS AT PLAY IN ACCEPTING OR REJECTING A PROMOTIONAL SPOT?
MILLION DOLLAR FRAUD
YOU DECIDE
INDEX