Deck 17: Ethics and Other Informal Controls

Question 1

Newspapers use ______________ as guidelines to persuade the public on certain issues or to achieve certain goals.

A)performance codes
B)community standards
C)Ombudspersons
D)operating policies
E)editorial policies

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Moderation is the key to moral virtue,according to the:

A)Principle of the Golden Mean
B)Categorical Imperative
C)Principle of Utility
D)Veil of Ignorance
E)Principle of Self-Determination

Answer 2

A

Question 3

A reporter who will use a hidden camera even though it would be dishonest to do so is probably guided by the desire to remove the public's Veil of Ignorance.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The Motion Picture Production Code seal of approval

A)is enforced by state regulations
B)stated that a woman's breasts should never be uncovered
C)has been in effect since the 1920s
D)all of these
E)none of these

Question 5

This was probably the most influential of all pressure groups targeting broadcasting.

A)Action for Children's Television
B)American Medical Association
C)National Organization for Women
D)Aware,Inc
E)National Parent Teacher Association

Question 6

The advice "do not treat people as a means to an end" best reflects which ethical principle?

A)Principle of the Golden Mean
B)Categorical Imperative
C)Principle of Utility
D)Veil of Ignorance
E)Principle of Self-Determination

Question 7

Outside influences that have a pressure on media performance include:

A)economics
B)pressure groups
C)education
D)all of these
E)none of these

Question 8

Many ethics experts agree that stressing _________ is the best way to teach ethics to journalism and mass communication students.

A)laws and other official policies
B)the specific codes of professional associations
C)the value of press councils to news organizations
D)a systematic way of thinking about ethics
E)how to best utilize an Ombudsperson

Question 9

Kant's Categorical Imperative and Mill's Utilitarianism are most relevant to which Potter Box stage of ethical decision making?

A)take action
B)establish loyalties
C)clarify values
D)establish facts/definitions
E)state principles

Question 10

What ethical principle guides reporters who decide to use a hidden camera-even though to do so is deceitful-because the story is of vital importance to national security?

A)Principle of the Golden Mean
B)Categorical Imperative
C)Principle of Utility
D)Veil of Ignorance
E)Principle of self-determination

Question 11

The effectiveness of the MPAA rating system depends on the cooperation of all of the following EXCEPT:

A)parents
B)government
C)producers
D)theater owners
E)distributors

Question 12

What ethical principle guides reporters who decide NOT to use a hidden camera-even though the story is of vital importance to national security-because using hidden cameras is deceitful?

A)Principle of the Golden Mean
B)Categorical Imperative
C)Principle of Utility
D)Veil of Ignorance
E)Principle of Self-Determination

Question 13

A reporter who won't use a hidden camera unless the story will have great benefits for the public is probably guided in this decision by the Principle of the Golden Mean.

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of a pressure group?

A)Parents Television Council
B)Media Research Center
C)Center for Digital Democracy
D)Media and Democracy Coalition
E)all of these are examples

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a main principle of the Society of Professional Journalists' code?

A)become acculturated
B)be accountable
C)act independently
D)minimize harm
E)seek and report the truth

Question 16

The TV industry's adoption of the "voluntary" ratings guidelines following the Telecommunications Act of 1996:

A)wasn't really voluntary at all
B)represents an interaction between formal and informal controls
C)utilized the V-chip technology
D)all of these
E)none of these

Question 17

TV networks utilize ____________ to help make sure that no unethical content is aired.

A)standards and practices departments
B)oversight departments
C)ombuds departments
D)ratings analysts
E)the V-chip

Question 18

Many media professionals must make ethical decisions very quickly,and are often guided by the ethical principles found in:

A)the legal system
B)the reporters' license application
C)the Food Lion decision
D)performance codes
E)none of these

Question 19

Does the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)have a code of good practice?

A)Yes,and nearly all radio and TV stations subscribe to it.
B)Yes,although very few stations follow it.
C)Yes,a highly precise code was enacted in the late 1990s.
D)No,because stations have traditionally refused to follow such codes.
E)No.The NAB used to have a code,but it was eliminated due to legal pressures.

Question 20

When media are so concerned with representing their communities in a positive light that they de-emphasize negative news,_____________ has occurred.

A)false light
B)junketing
C)boosterish
D)felicitation
E)none of these

Question 21

There are five canons of journalism: responsibility,independence,accuracy,decency and ethicality.

Question 22

In March 2011 the Institute for Advertising Ethics (IAE)released a set of ethical principles to guide decision making in the advertising industry.The IAE's code depends on voluntary compliance.What do you think will be the impact?

Question 23

The advertising industry has no real self-regulatory system in place to deal with complaints about advertisers or advertisements.

Question 24

According to the writing of Ralph Potter,the first thing to do when making an ethical decision is to define the situation by determining the relevant facts.

Question 25

The 1923 Canons of Journalism represent the first attempt by journalists to strive for professionalism in their field.

Question 26

The advertising industry rarely faces ethical issues and as such has not developed a code for performance.

Question 27

Although pressure groups have had some positive results,certain groups have probably had too much power and done more harm than good.

Question 28

Pressure groups can have great success in a wide range of attempts to influence mass media organizations,but they cannot influence the FCC during the license renewal process.

Question 29

Applying the "Veil of Ignorance" concept in resolving ethical issues means that all social differentiations are removed and people are treated equally.

Question 30

Many broadcast and cable networks have standards and practices departments,which determine whether content is acceptable or not.

Question 31

Although advertisers might exert economic pressure on media to include or exclude certain content,business practices of the media themselves have never done so.

Question 32

Which ethical principle do you think you most follow when examining choices and justifying actions?

Question 33

The MPAA rating system (G,PG,etc.)is a successor to the highly specific Motion Picture Production Code.

Question 34

A newspaper's Ombudsperson is responsible for investigating reader complaints,and otherwise generally criticizing the paper's performance.

Question 35

Although many local stations have an official "policy book" to guide them,most print media have two such statements: "operating policies" and "editorial policies."