Media Ethics Discussion: Scenario #2 -- COM101 Mass Communications

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Date Posted: 21:07:46 12/14/08 Sun
Author: Kristen Gortych
Subject: Media Ethics Discussion: Scenario #2

Kristen Gortych
Professor Lenoce
COM 101
14 December 2008
Discussion- Scenario #2

The article �Should Journalists Ever Use Deceit to Get the Truth?� by Jonathan Franklin should be analyzed with more than just the moral point of view. Franklin�s article is an ethical disgrace, and he should never have risked his career, credibility and his spotless criminal record to go undercover.
First off, no one, no matter what the latest scoop or headline, no matter how important it may seem, should ever, never ever, sneak on to a U.S. military base, ever. With that said, what Jonathan Franklin did was more than just foolish and illegal. His breech of national security may have caused problems that we as civilians don�t consider. The military is what allows us to live the way we live, in war time and peace time. As U.S. citizens we do have freedom of the press and of speech, but the military gives us that freedom, and we should be, if not grateful, at least respectful. If there is something they don�t tell the whole truth over, or refuse comment over, it�s probably because its in someone�s dad�s, son�s, boyfriend�s, husband�s, mother�s: our soldiers, best interest. Even the most minor detail may help our enemies.
The words, �the stocky mortician yelled to me while stitching an Army private�s crumbling skull�, which Franklin used in the article are haunting. His observation continues on with �watching a crack mortician team stuff a second mutilated body into a starched uniform.� These �bodies� have families who are grieving, families who will read his article and be horrified. Franklin�s choice of words were not of someone who cared what happened to the bodies, or to whom they belonged, but of someone who only cares about the glory of unraveling a conspiracy against the government- the same one who allows him to have a job where he�s allowed the freedom of an opinion. His risks and poor word choice will only deepen the wounds off mourners.
I do not believe there is ever a reason for a journalist to use deceit to cover a story. It is their job to report the truth, or what they believe may be the truth, it is not, however; their job to dig up scandal or tabloid news. Journalists should stick to ethics and not lower themselves to immorality in pursuit of a �best seller�.
Franklin�s intentions may have been for the greater good of journalism, however; his rash decision to sneak onto a U.S. military base may have caused more harm than anyone may know. As a sister of an Army private, and citizen of the United States, I would ask all journalists to consider ethics the next time they go out on a hunt, and how much they truly value the freedom of their job for that matter.

Works Cited

Cohen, Adam. �The Latest Rumbling in the Blogosphere: Questions About Ethics.� The New York Times. 8 May 2005. 14 Dec. 2008 .
"Eye-Opening Encounters." American Journalism Review 21.8 (Oct. 1999): 6. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Jean Burr Smith Library, Middletown, CT. 14 Dec. 2008 .
Harvey, Chris. "Doing the Right Thing." American Journalism Review 21.8 (Oct. 1999): 1. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Jean Burr Smith Library, Middletown, CT. 14 Dec. 2008 .

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