Radical Media Ethics

Radical Media Ethics presents a series of innovative ethical principles and guidelines for members of the global online media community.

• Offers a comprehensive new way to think about media ethics in a new media era
• Provides guiding principles and values for practising responsible global media ethics
• Introduces one of the first codes of conduct for a journalism that is global in reach and impact
• Includes both philosophical considerations and practical elements in its establishment of new media ethics guidelines

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction x

Part I Theoretical Foundations 1

1 Ontology of Ethics 3

2 Ethics as Normative Interpretation 33

3 Implications for Radical Ethics 69

Part II The Shape of a Radical Integrated Ethics 91

4 Radical Media Ethics 93

5 Defining Journalism 119

6 Theory of Meaning for Integrated Ethics 143

Part III Principles of Global Integrated Ethics 171

7 Political Values for Integrated Ethics 173

8 Aims for Global Integrated Ethics 197

9 Realizing Global Integrated Ethics 215

Appendix: Ward Code for Global Integrated Ethics 223

Index 229

'...original and driven by a passion for ethics. It cannot be ignored.' - Digital Journalism

Stephen J. A. Ward is an internationally recognized media ethicist whose writings and projects have influenced the development of the field in theory and practice. His publications include the award-winning The Invention of Journalism Ethics: The Path to Objectivity and Beyond (2005). In addition, he is the author of Global Journalism Ethics (2010) and co-editor of Media Ethics Beyond Borders: A Global Perspective (2009).

In today’s interconnected world it seems that just about everyone is a journalist. But amid the frenzy of the media revolution, journalists ignore or disagree on the basic principles of journalistic ethics. Radical Media Ethics: A Global Approach is a call to (action for) those who care about the future of journalism in a global, online world. Arguing that current and traditional ethical approaches to journalism are outdated, award-winning author Stephen Ward offers a series of radically different principles and guidelines for members of the global online media community. Critical problem areas addressed include the use of social media platforms, blogs, and microblogs; when to “re-post” tweets; and precisely how journalists should be expected to govern their online presence. While recognizing differences among practitioners and media systems, Ward seamlessly weaves philosophical and practical elements of ethical conduct into a unifying code for a journalism that is now global in reach and impact. Innovative and thought-provoking, Radical Media Ethics offers illuminating insights into ways to redefine media ethics for a global age.