Question 1

Gordon says the most practical ethical approach for media workers facing conflicting pressures is:&#10;A) Aristotle's golden mean&#10;B) Mill's utilitarianism&#10;C) Kant's universalism&#10;D) Machiavelli's ends justify the means

Accepted Answer

A

Question 2

Which one of these examples does not reflect governmental pressure on the media?&#10;A) Sen. Joseph McCarthy's HUAC hearings&#10;B) The FCC's Fairness Doctrine&#10;C) The post-9/11 PATRIOT Act&#10;D) The fawning reporting on Barack Obama's presidential campaign

Accepted Answer

Fawning reporting on a particular candidate does not necessarily reflect direct governmental pressure on the media. While politicians and their campaigns may try to cultivate friendly relationships with certain media outlets, this is not the same as overt government pressure or censorship. A, B, and C all involve more direct government intervention in the media.

Question 3

Gordon says all of these pressures often overwhelm media workers' personal values, except ...&#10;A) The likes and dislikes of audiences and advertisers&#10;B) The routines of media organizations&#10;C) The teachings of media ethics professors&#10;D) The demands of stockholders

Accepted Answer

Gordon specifically mentions that media workers' personal values can be overwhelmed by pressures such as the likes and dislikes of audiences and advertisers, the routines of media organizations, and the demands of stockholders. However, he does not mention teachings of media ethics professors as being overwhelming to media workers.

Question 4

Kittross recommends all of these as resources for media workers developing their ethical standards, except ...&#10;A) Schooling&#10;B) Professional organizations&#10;C) Politicians&#10;D) Colleagues

Accepted Answer

The other options (A, B, and D) are all valid resources for media workers developing their ethical standards. However, politicians are not typically considered a reliable or appropriate source for ethical guidance in journalism.

Question 5

According to Louis Hodges, journalists create a conflict of interest when their self interests weaken or interfere with their obligation to serve ...&#10;A) Their employer&#10;B) Their audience&#10;C) The government&#10;D) Advertisers

Accepted Answer

Louis Hodges suggests that journalists create a conflict of interest when their self interests weaken or interfere with their obligation to serve their audience. Therefore, the best choice is B - their audience.

Question 6

The difference between morals and ethics is ...&#10;A) Morals pertain to the proper conduct of individuals and, to a great extent, the entire society, whereas ethics pertain to the science of ideal conduct within a specific group or profession.&#10;B) Morals say cheating is wrong, whereas an ethical person simply doesn't cheat.&#10;C) Ethics focus on what is virtuous, and morals focus on the practices of a specific group or profession.&#10;D) Morality refers to the science of ethics.

Accepted Answer

Morals refer to the proper conduct of individuals and society as a whole, while ethics refer to the science of ideal conduct within a specific group or profession. Morals are generally broad-based societal principles, while ethics are more specific and may differ from profession to profession.

Question 7

Kittross says the key to responsibility is ...&#10;A) Altruism&#10;B) Authority&#10;C) Awareness&#10;D) Acceptance

Accepted Answer

The answer of Kittross says the key to responsibility is...

Question 8

The concept of &#34;responsibility&#34; overlaps all of these, except ...&#10;A) Obligation&#10;B) Debt&#10;C) Requirement&#10;D) Obedience

Accepted Answer

While responsibility may involve obedience, the concept is broader and includes obligation, debt, and requirement.

Question 9

Which of these seldom clash with the individual moral autonomy of mass communicators?&#10;A) Barometric pressures&#10;B) Technological pressures&#10;C) Economic pressures&#10;D) Peer pressures

Accepted Answer

Barometric pressures, such as political climate or public opinion, may influence mass communicators, but they do not necessarily violate their individual moral autonomy. Mass communicators are still able to make choices based on their personal values and beliefs, even in the face of external pressures. The other options listed (technological, economic, and peer pressures) may have a greater impact on an individual's moral autonomy.

Question 10

According to their positions in this chapter, which of these ethicists would recommend that media workers tell their boss to "go to hell" if he or she demanded they do something in violation of their personal values?

A) Kittross
B) Gordon
C) Merrill
D) All of them

Accepted Answer

All of them advocate for the primacy of personal integrity and moral values in professional settings, suggesting that they would support standing up to unethical demands from superiors.

Deck 2: Individual Values, Social Pressures and Conflicting Loyalties