Ethics - Are they really present?

What is really ethical or unethical, and what is in good taste and in bad taste?

Today's lecture looked at ethics. We viewed and marked 10 photos on their degree of ethicality and whether they be suitable for the public view.

One of the pictures that really struck me was Windsor Smith's advertisement for a selection of their men's shoes.

The image on the left of the advertisement shows absolutely no interest or focus on mens shoes, but instead privileges a highly sexual action. Windsor Smith has ultimately portrayed that by wearing his shoes you will too have the girls down on their knees for you.. A thought that is far from true.

Sure I like a man in nice shoes, but I don't like them that much.

When this advertisement first went public it was complained about fiercely and it was deemed that in no way did it actually attempt to advertise shoes. It is so true.

It was claimed that it did not meet community standards, however Windsor Smith refused to act on this and remove the advertisement. From this, they gained even more publicity. Smart move on Windsor Smith's behalf! In all, Windsor Smith over $43million worth of advertising for only releasing 6 billboards. 

After looking at advertisements, we further went into the ethics of commercial advertising. The Australian Tourism Ad "Where the blood hell are you?" was included.

This ad was banded in the United Kingdom because of the use of the word "bloody" being deemed highly inappropriate. It is amazing to think that such a causally used word in Australian culture, is far from the norm in another country. 

After looking at such forms of ethics in advertising, we went into the three different ethical theories of deontology(rules, principles and duties), consequentialism (getting a good or right outcome that matters) and virtue ethics (that "goodness" comes from good habits of character).

I feel that in the media it is of primary importance to hold virtue ethics. You need to have a good character when dealing with issues of discretion to make sure the right decision is made.
As a journalist, and as a person, I want to be a person of good character.

23.04.2012