There are a lot of ethical issues surrounding the NY Times wiretapping story. Protecting sources, right to privacy, national security, government power and so on.
I believe deception by the news media would be tricking or lying the audience into believing something else. A reporter has a role to report accurate information, deception is never justified. I don't believe the NY Times was being deceptive, they were holding the story to protect themselves and their sources. Being summoned by the President and the White House not to publish a story would be a frightening situation for anyone to be in. Holding the story for a year was a justifiable act, the reporters were protecting the NY Times', themselves and were pressured by the government to do so. In the end they were able to get the job done and provide an account of what had happened.
1 comment:
The wiretapping story is a good one to use with the Potter Box, the model that asks you to list Facts, Values, Principles and Loyalties.
If you use this, what's on your list for Values? What principle[s] would the NYTimes be honoring by sitting on this story for a year? And what does that say about the NYT's loyalties?
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