The Role of Ethics in Political Communication

Abstract

Argument first makes a simple summing up of what is going to be discussed and why this is a timely discussion in the US. With the increasing power and influence of the media in American culture, there has been a surge of political programs both on TV and on the radio commenting on the news. The US has always been known for its individualism and this has become an ideal for citizens to meet. However, if this is the case, then politics becomes dangerous because it forces citizens to conform to more collectively accepted ideologies. Many citizens see the mass media as doing little more than maintaining the status quo. Not only are media professionals forced to look out for their own interests, many are also forced to compromise for the good of the public. This is what gives media its credibility'their objectivism. The big question that is asked is how media professionals will be able to balance their own desires and interests with those of the public. It is eventually revealed that there are no social obligations that force media professionals to think about anything other than their own best interests and that they should not have to justify breaking these ethical standards. Even so, after examining a study in relation to his own, it is contested that Americans have been shown to not allow their politics to be affected by media. This hypothesis is then backed up with a few examples concerning the Democratic primaries and the congressional elections. The media serves two purposes: to inform and to persuade. However, the American media today increasingly focuses on persuasion. Last, the relation between the media and democracy is discussed. There have consistent fears of the transformation the US from a print culture to a television culture. Finally, the consequences of the media’s ability to shape political reality are discussed. The media can end up eroding the credibility and viability of the democratic process and can also literally eradicate public policy discussion on key issues. It would thus appear that it is in the best interest of the American public sphere to begin considering the establishment of ethical guidelines to govern the media industries.

 Keywords ethics, political communication, media influence, objectivity, credibility, public interest, democracy, ethical guidelines.