Ethics

1. You’ve just been hired to work in the Standards and Practices Department at CBS. Your first task is to devise a list of 5 items that you think constitute inappropriate content for your network’s prime time schedule. In other words, what should be censored? Keep in mind your network still needs to make money so, if you place too many restriction they may lose viewers, which translates into you losing your job, and you would really like to keep your high paying, very prestigious job.

 When I first thought this through, I thought that, sex sells.  But that goes against my beliefs and what I stand for.  Then I thought of my favorite TV show, The Office, and it is a show that I can watch with my parents and not be offended.  So I thought of my censoring in relation to The Office.  Because even though they don’t use sex to sell their show, it is still an extremely successful show. 

1. Sex
1. Sexual material should not be something that is aired. 
2. Swearing
1. Swearing should not be used, or should be bleeped out if they really want the effect.  On Arrested development they will bleep out a swear word and it makes it funnier in my opinion.
3. Very revealing clothing
1. I thought of Pam and Angela from The Office and everyday they are in cardigans and knee-length skirts.  They do not need to show off their body in order to catch the attention of the audience. 
4. Homosexuality
1. I feel like these days homosexuality is something that is viewed as being completely normal and natural, and I am a firm believer that it is not.  I think by showing it on television that over time it has become acceptable because its on TV.  I feel that by eliminating this it could help reduce the acceptance of homosexual relationships. 
5. Racist stereotypes
1. I feel like stereotypes are a huge part of our society and minorities can be the brunt of many jokes that only those not of that minority believe to be funny.  I feel that by elminating minority stereotypes we can bring in more viewers from many different races and backgrounds. 

 

           

 

Controls, Laws

1. Describe a situation in which you thought personal or public expression went too far and should be curbed? How might you remedy this situation?

I feel like the protestors that voted No on Proposition 8 took their personal expression too far by going public with their riots, rallies, and demonstrations.  I felt like the issue was settled when California voted and Proposition 8 was passed; the issue should have been over and done with because we wanted the people to vote, they voted, but didn’t get the response that they wanted.  I thought about if the situation had been the other way around and we, as members of the LDS, had not gotten the results form the ballot that we had been hoping for, you would not have heard a sound from us.  We would have been sad at the situation but gone on with our everyday life.  I felt like the protestors took it too far by going to extremes like violence, vandalism, and posting untrue media on the internet and TV.  I’m not exactly sure how I would rememdy this situation, because if we tell people they can’t protest, then it takes away their freedom of expression.  The only way to remedy this is to hope that in time, people that are in the losing seat of a vote can accept that we people voted and the majority won.  Police were trying to control the violence and rage, but there is really no way to put a remedy to people taking things to an extreme. 

 

 

 

 

Public Relations

1. Are public relations activities like image consulting ethical? Explain.

I feel like image consulting can be both ethical and unethical depending on the situation.  If someone has been wrongly viewed by the public eye and they hire someone to improve the situation and correct the wrong views, then I feel like it is ethical. But if someone has done something terrible and is just trying to make themselves look better by covering up their past with an image consultant, then I feel like it is unethical.  For example, if someone like OJ Simpson were to have an image consultant to make himself look better than I feel like that would be unethical.  But if someone like Britney Spears who did no harm to anyone else, but was going through psychological issues has an image consultant then I feel like it is ethical.  

 

2. Showman P. T. Barnum epitomized 19^th-century press agentry with exaggerated claims such as those about Tom Thumb and Jenny Lind. Do such promotional methods exist today? Are there examples?

 I feel like everything in our media today is exaggerated, maybe not to the extent of P.T. Barnum’s success with people, but I feel like everything is stretched.  Models are airbrushed to make themselves appear more beautiful.  Weight lifters in magazines appea to be stronger than in real life, everything is just bigger and better than normal people.  One thing that I feel is very exaggerated personally, is Water Parks and Theme Parks.  On the commercials you see people having endless amounts of fun, friends, and entertainment.  But in reality, when arriving at one of these parks you find yourself overpaying for the tickets, standing in what seems to be endless lines, and paying way too much for cheap food.  This is something that does not even apply to most people, but I have felt much disappointment as a child after actually going to these kind of Parks.