Chapter 6
1. Why did The New York Times take such effort, give so much space in its paper and give so much
attention to unraveling the lies and plagiarism committed by Jayson Blair? How and why was the
2. Tragic, dramatic events like the Isla Vista mass shooting attract reporters from across the nation,
sometimes even the world. What do the protests in Isla Vista tell us about the kind of ethical issues that
can arise when so many journalists are on the scene? What gets overlooked when discussions of ethical
3. How are ethical challenges journalists face in their daily work similar to those faced by average
citizens in daily life? How are they different? Couldn’t journalists use their innate sense of right and
4. Doing good journalistic work often means that a journalist contributes to causing some sort of harm.
Many cases involve weighing competing harms. Does that mean journalism is an inherently unethical
5. How much of a role should potential consequences play in your final decision making? Immanuel Kant
6. Ethical decision-making is – or ought to be – a collaborative process involving discussion with
colleagues and stakeholders so that many voices and perspectives can be considered. What, if any,