Question 1

The three most widely used professional ethics codes by broadcast journalists are
A) SPJ, RTDNA, and NPPA.
B) CBS, SPJ, and AP.
C) AP, Reuters, and NPR.
D) SPJ, RTDNA, and NPR.

Accepted Answer

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), and National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) are the three most widely recognized organizations that provide ethical guidelines for broadcast journalists.

Question 2

Identify which concept of the ethical code includes the important requirement that journalists "know the facts."
A) credibility
B) non‐partisanship
C) integrity
D) truthfulness

Accepted Answer

A

Question 3

THE BAFT test of objectivity indicates the four letters B‐A‐F‐ T stand for
A) blogging, accuracy, field reports, and tweets.
B) blogging, accurate, Facebook, and Twitter.
C) balanced, accurate, fair and true.
D) broadcast, android, Facebook, and television.

Accepted Answer

The BAFT test of objectivity stands for balanced, accurate, fair and true, making option C the correct choice. The other options do not accurately represent what the BAFT test stands for.

Question 4

During a political campaign the ethical codes suggest journalists should
A) use their freedom of expression to support any candidate of their choice by posting "likes" on social media and placing bumper stickers on their car.
B) keep their political leanings to themselves and not posting on websites or displaying their choices in any public way.
C) only post their preferences on social media but not in public space such as a yard sign on the front lawn or a bumper sticker on a car.
D) do not reveal your preferences on any social media platform.

Accepted Answer

Journalists should remain neutral and not show support for any political candidate or party in order to maintain their objectivity and credibility as a fair and unbiased news source. Displaying personal political leanings can create a conflict of interest and potentially undermine the trust of readers or viewers.

Question 5

Ethics code warns journalists about conflicts of interest Some codes specifically forbid taking "freebies." An example of freebies would be
A) media guest passes at Disneyland resorts.
B) ski passes to resorts.
C) free tickets to concerts.
D) all of the above.

Accepted Answer

All of the above (media guest passes, ski passes, and concert tickets) could be considered "freebies" and therefore, could create a conflict of interest for a journalist.

Question 6

A famous journalism ethical case became the focal point in the movie "Shattered Glass." The journalist featured was
A) Stephen Glass.
B) Jayson Blair.
C) Janet Cooke.
D) Rupert Murdoch.

Accepted Answer

The movie "Shattered Glass" is based on the true story of journalist Stephen Glass, who was discovered to have fabricated numerous stories for the magazine where he worked. This case is a famous example of journalistic fraud and raised serious ethical concerns about fact-checking and editorial oversight in the industry.

Question 7

A Washington Post staff reporter made up a story about an 8‐year‐old heroin addict, which won a Pulitzer prize before the deceit was discovered. The journalist was
A) Stephen Glass.
B) Jayson Blair.
C) Janet Cooke.
D) Andrew Mitchell.

Accepted Answer

The journalist who made up the story about an 8-year-old heroin addict was Janet Cooke.

Question 8

Which of the following is a way to control your own ego and maintain a solid ethical foundation in your career?
A) create and frequently refer to your own code of professional ethics Eight Core Concepts
B) you shouldn't try to control your ego or you will never be promoted
C) always ask the boss when faced with an ethical challenge
D) always ask a co‐worker when faced with an ethical challenge

Accepted Answer

Creating and referring to your own code of professional ethics can help you control your ego and maintain a solid ethical foundation in your career. This allows you to have clear values and principles to guide your decisions and actions, rather than relying on external sources such as the boss or co-workers.

Question 9

Walter Cronkite believes journalists should be as cynical as the story warrants.

Accepted Answer

Walter Cronkite believed that journalists should maintain objectivity and not let cynicism guide their reporting.

Question 10

RTDNA stands for Radio Television News Directors Association.

Accepted Answer

The answer of RTDNA stands for Radio Television News Directors...

Question 11

Facts are the building blocks of stories.

Accepted Answer

Facts provide the foundation and framework for any story, allowing for a basis of truth and credibility for the events and characters portrayed.

Question 12

Burning a source refers to inspiring a subject to speak on the record.

Accepted Answer

Burning a source typically means revealing the identity of a confidential informant or otherwise betraying their trust, which can lead to the source no longer being willing or able to provide information.

Question 13

Agency is the concept based on the idea of having the freedom to choose and to act.

Accepted Answer

Agency refers to the capacity of individuals to act independently and make their own choices. Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 14

When loyalties conflict, an ethical issue is often at the root.

Accepted Answer

When loyalties conflict, such as a loyalty to a friend and a duty to report unethical behavior, an ethical issue arises in deciding which loyalty takes precedence.

Question 15

Objectivity relates only to word choice and not to the images selected to match them.

Accepted Answer

Objectivity relates to both word choice and the images selected to match them. Both should be accurate and without bias.

Question 16

An important principle in the RTDNA Code of Ethics is public trust.

Accepted Answer

The RTDNA Code of Ethics emphasizes the importance of maintaining public trust in the media through truthful and accurate reporting, transparency, and accountability.

Question 17

According to RTDNA, professional electronic journalists should continuously seek the truth.

Accepted Answer

RTDNA's Code of Ethics states that journalists should "diligently seek out subjects of news stories and present their viewpoints, seeking all sides of any story," and "avoid any practice that might compromise or appear to compromise objectivity or fairness." These principles reflect a commitment to truth-seeking and impartiality in journalism.

Question 18

Both the SPJ and RTDNA code have specific sections of their ethics code devoted to truth.

Accepted Answer

Both the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) have specific sections of their ethics code devoted to truth. The SPJ code states that journalists should "seek truth and report it," while the RTDNA code includes provisions for "accuracy, fairness and truthfulness in broadcasting."

Question 19

NPPA code indicates it is OK to stage events or settings to make a compelling photo.

Accepted Answer

The NPPA (National Press Photographers Association) Code of Ethics advises against staging or altering scenes to create a misleading representation of the situation, emphasizing the importance of accurate and truthful reporting.

Question 20

Beliefs that we hold deep in our hearts are known as _____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Beliefs that we hold deep in our...

Quiz 12: Charting Your Ethical Course

The three most widely used professional ethics codes by broadcast journalists are

Identify which concept of the ethical code includes the important requirement that journalists "know the facts."

THE BAFT test of objectivity indicates the four letters B‐A‐F‐ T stand for

During a political campaign the ethical codes suggest journalists should

Ethics code warns journalists about conflicts of interest Some codes specifically forbid taking "freebies." An example of freebies would be

A famous journalism ethical case became the focal point in the movie "Shattered Glass." The journalist featured was

A Washington Post staff reporter made up a story about an 8‐year‐old heroin addict, which won a Pulitzer prize before the deceit was discovered. The journalist was

Which of the following is a way to control your own ego and maintain a solid ethical foundation in your career?