Media ethics:

Where do we draw the line?

By Lionel WIJESIRI

“The Government always respects the right to disapprove, disagree and completely reject an opinion, but nobody has the right to insult another”, Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella had said at a ceremony at the Ministry premises to hand over registration licences to 27 websites.

The Minister said that the Government has always maintained cordial relations with media organisations and noted that the Ministry has to play a pivotal role in balancing media freedom and the ethics of media.

Code of values

Before we talk about the ethics of media, let us see what is meant by ethics. Merriam-Webster defines ethics as: “A set of moral principles: A theory or system of moral values”. However, for media personnel, the definition of ethics is a lot longer. Any media-related professional society will offer a long list of what constitutes media ethics, including making every effort to be accurate, avoid stereotyping and offering a diversity of viewpoints.

It also calls for media personnel not to plagiarise and to distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. It might even say 'Tell readers, listeners or viewers how you got your information; don’t accept gifts or money for coverage; tell the truth; be honest'.

In simple terms, ethics is a code of values which governs our lives and is thus essential for moral and healthy societal life. At its core is essentially the self–restraint to be practised by the media practitioners voluntarily, to preserve and promote the trust of the people and to maintain their own credibility.

Balanced views

The need for an ethics–based media has been felt and propagated in the past three decades, particularly in Asian countries such as ours. These ethics guide us to distinguish between right and wrong, between dos and don’ts. In respect of media, as a public service, such values may be considered as standards of behaviour or guiding principles to be followed by media men and women in providing news, views and analysis that is true and accurate, balanced and unbiased, transparent, and without fear or favour, to the civic society.

Mass media, comprising newspapers, magazines, radio, television and films, is a potent means of not only monitoring, mirroring and following social changes, but also of working as motivator, promoter and catalyst of socio-economic, political, cultural, intellectual, moral and spiritual transformation.

Online journalism

A television production studio

While our country's pre-1980s media, mainly in the form of the press, was more nationalistic in character, content and commitment, the post-80s media has witnessed increasing incidences of vested interests, commercialism, consumerism, sensationalism, undue political patronage and bureaucratic interference in the affairs of the mass media.

I believe that most current media practitioners are not enthusiastic about creating positive social changes or in addressing the needs of the disadvantaged. The media seems to be caught up in serving consumers rather than citizens. They are under pressure to maximise revenue through advertisements rather than creating a wholesome impact through better quality content.

Value-orientation

With the advancement of technology, control over media has become increasingly difficult. At present, it is upon the owners of mass media organisations to assess the character and content of the message being communicated to the public. Yet, is the message in consonance with the culture, heritage, values and ethos of Sri Lankan society, or is it not? Is the information, news, views and programs positive and conducive to promote holistic health, harmony, happiness and sustainable development of people and society or are they detrimental, denuding and debilitating?

Appropriate answers to such questions should determine the quality and character of life and the society we want to create for ourselves and for posterity. For this matter, I believe media persons should take up their profession as a challenge or holistic mission.

Thus, the sterling qualities required in these individuals are a high degree of honesty, integrity, fearlessness, fair play, uprightness, whole-hearted devotion and dedication to the cause of moral and material development of the people and the all round growth of the nation. Media professionals need to reorient their attitudes and rearrange their priorities as per ground realities of socio-economic, moral, spiritual and technological changes and imperatives, for the achievement of an equitable society.

Declining values

Today, although the country is witnessing development in each and every field, there is a constant decline in ethical values. When the word ‘impossible’ is somewhat losing its relevance in today’s world, when nothing seems to be beyond reach, there is still despair, conflict, violence and cultural and communal differences. The individual urge for peace and happiness is becoming stronger and stronger with each passing day.

The steady decline in the ethical values can largely be traced as the root cause of all this unrest and unhappiness in society. The sparkle of hope and any effort on the part of the mass media that can bring happiness is like a candle of light in the space enveloped by darkness.

A peaceful country has been the main aim of our people for the past six decades and I firmly believe that media, being not only the mirror of the society, but also as a leader can guide and mould public opinion to reach this goal. The conflict between values is the source of many conflicts and problems.

New ethical values

Complications and plurality of modern life have brought about the possibility for different value choices or pursuits, thus resulting in a conflict of ethical values. The 21st century is a period of transition. This conflict of ethical values is quite apparent in the media, which is also called the Fourth Estate.

The growth of the Sri Lankan media in recent times is inducing under the pressure on the core values of the media due to fierce competition; pressure from market forces, advertisers, managerial interests; and threats from fast-paced satellite channels, the internet and so on.

Mass media today has become the platform and propagator of the change in society.

The media, which stood for and propagated our traditional ethical value system, is being advised to adapt to the new system and new values of society. Therefore, the media of the 21st century is entirely different compared to that of the early 20th century.

Introduction of new modes of media i.e. television, internet and now blogging, has entirely changed the focus, approach and principles of the media industry. Priorities are reshaped. Today conflict is about the very basis of media, whether it is a service or a profession.

Guarding the guards

In the age of rapid globalisation, media no doubt needs to give due attention to the commercial aspects of the industry, but there is no reason for it to move away from social concerns. In this blind race, today's media want to retain its credibility.

The media is focusing on trivial issues concerning celebrities, crime and mega shows. Today, media personnel are working on packages. Editors and producers have become managers of sorts. Ethical values have taken a second position and competition and sensationalism has taken prominence.

The time has come for those who believe true media to be their calling to make a decision. It is not hard to make decisions if you know what your ethical values are. Traditional values of media may well guide new media decisions.

This raises the most important question: Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who will guard the guards? Most media has ostensibly shown itself as incapable of ethical conduct by self-governance. After all, as the old axiom says, someone needs to guard the guards too.