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Academic Reading and Writing Directions

question 45

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Academic Reading and Writing Directions:
Use your knowledge of the reading-writing process to answer these questions about the following passage adapted from Shirley Biagi's communication textbook, Media/Impact: An Introduction to Mass Media (pages 314-322) .
Ethics Define Responsibilities
¹Discussions about how journalists answer for what they do center on ethics. The word derives from the Greek word ethos , meaning the guiding spirit or traditions that govern a culture . Part of America's culture is the unique protection offered by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, so any discussion of ethics and the American media acknowledge the cultural belief that the First Amendment privilege carries with it special obligations. Among these obligations are professional ethics, the rules or standards governing the conduct of the members of a profession.
²Journalists sometimes make poor ethical judgments for several reasons. One is because they work quickly and their actions can be haphazard . Another centers around the fact that the lust to be first with a story can override the desire to be right. In addition, journalists sometimes don't know enough to question the truthfulness of what they're told. Furthermore, they may win attention and professional success quickly by ignoring ethical standards. And finally, journalists sometimes are insensitive to the consequences of their stories for the people they cover. As a consequence of its profession, the media face four different types of ethical issues.
³The first type of ethical issue faced by the media is truthfulness. Truthfulness in reporting means more than accuracy and telling the truth to get a story. Truthfulness also means not misrepresenting the people or the underlying motives of a story to readers and viewers, as well as not reporting disinformation. Another aspect of truthfulness is the belief that government officials should not use the media for their own ends by "planting" stories that aren't true.
⁴The second ethical issue is fairness. Fairness implies impartiality . This means the journalist has nothing personal to gain from a report. Also, fairness means that there are no hidden benefits to the reporter or to the source from the story being presented or not presented. Criticism of the press for unfairness results from debates over insider friendships, conflicts of interest, and checkbook journalism (reporters who pay their sources for stories) .
⁵Not only must reporters be fair, they must also respect privacy. Reporting on illnesses and on rape is the most visible example of a complex ethical dilemma of privacy. The press should balance the goal of truthfulness and fact-finding with the need for personal privacy.
⁶Finally, responsibility is the last category. The events journalists choose to report and the way they use the information they gather reflect on the profession's sense of public responsibility. Most reporters realize that they often change the character of an event by covering that event. The mere presence of the media magnifies the importance of what happens.
Choose the primary method of organization used by this author.

Definitions:

Eugenics

A set of beliefs and practices aimed at improving the genetic quality of the human population, often associated with unethical and forced sterilization policies in the past.

American Population

The total number of people living in the United States, encompassing a diverse range of ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds.

Suffrage

The right to vote.