7. Murder is my meat: the ethics of journalism

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Hargreaves
Keyword(s):  
High Velocity ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
The Press ◽  
The Law ◽  
Moral Choices ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Trust Industry

Journalism is a domain of high-velocity moral choices and tense emotional situations. The ethic of truthfulness, or more modestly accuracy, lies at the heart of journalism. Without it, journalism devalues its own civic currency by undermining trust. Industry codes and the law of the land have a part to play in setting the necessary standards, but this does not necessarily eliminate serious wrongdoing. ‘Murder is my meat: the ethics of journalism’ considers the ethical issues and reflects upon the UK phone-hacking scandal, which resulted in the appointment of a judicial inquiry into the culture, practices, and ethics of the press: the Leveson inquiry in 2011.

scholarly journals Brexit, the Press and the Territorial Constitution

2020 ◽  
pp. 096466392092192
Author(s):  
Gregory Davies ◽  
Daniel Wincott
Keyword(s):  
Media Coverage ◽  
Media Analysis ◽  
Valuable Contribution ◽  
Critical Junctures ◽  
Law And Politics ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Press ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Uk

Brexit has unveiled previously hidden aspects of United Kingdom (UK) society, law and politics. It provides a valuable opportunity to investigate the social reception of law, and in particular the mediation of the law and constitution in the press. The distinctive constitutional arrangements and histories of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England have given rise to different territorial interpretations of the UK state. These asymmetries have parallels in the UK’s territorial media landscape, yet we have little understanding of how this landscape contributes to constitutional discourses. This article offers quantitative content and thematic analysis of UK-wide media coverage of major court judgments which have served as critical junctures in the Brexit process. The analysis reveals striking territorial variation in the volume and substance of coverage. Here, the media appears to reinforce divergent understandings of the constitution: while English reporting chimed with a more unitary account of the constitution, reporting elsewhere was more consistent with a vision of the UK as union-state. In the light of these findings, we argue that media analysis can make a valuable contribution to our understanding of the law and the constitution.

scholarly journals Fit for Purpose? Exploring the Role of Freedom of Information Laws and Their Application for Watchdog Journalism

2021 ◽  
pp. 194016122110067
Author(s):  
Mária Žuffová
Keyword(s):  
Differential Treatment ◽  
Freedom Of Information ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Press ◽  
Fit For Purpose ◽  
The Law ◽  
Ground Delays ◽  
Democratic Principles ◽  
State Relations

Despite great volume of research into press–state relations, we know little about how journalists use information that has been generated through independent bureaucratic processes. The present study addresses this gap by investigating the role of freedom of information (FOI) laws in journalism practice. By surveying journalists ( n = 164), interviewing activists and civil servants ( n = 7) and submitting FOI requests to twenty-one ministerial departments in the United Kingdom, this study explores press-state interactions and the limits of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) application to advance the media’s monitorial function. The results show that journalists perceive FOIA as an essential tool for their work. However, they often described their experience as negative. They reported refusals lacking legal ground, delays, not responding at all or differential treatment. In response to gating access, journalists might also adopt tactics that use loopholes in the law. The press-state interactions, already marked by suspicion, thus, continue to perpetuate distrust. These findings might have implications for journalism practices, FOIAs’ potential for government oversight and democracy. In particular, the differential treatment of requests undermines equality under the law, one of the fundamental democratic principles. The study concludes with several policy recommendations for FOIA reform to meet journalists’ needs better.

‘Who Ya Gonna Call …?’ Ethical and legal dilemmas in specialist children centres and district general hospitals

2021 ◽  
pp. 147775092110366
Author(s):  
Harika Avula ◽  
Mariana Dittborn ◽  
Joe Brierley
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care ◽  
Clinical Ethics ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
General Setting ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Paediatric Intensive Care ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Legal Cases ◽  
Ethics Support ◽  
The Uk

The field of Paediatric Bioethics, or ethical issues applied to children's healthcare, is relatively new but has recently gained an increased professional and public profile. Clinical ethics support to health professionals and patients who face ethical challenges in clinical practice varies between and within institutions. Literature regarding services available to paediatricians is sparse in specialist tertiary centres and almost absent in general paediatrics. We performed a mixed-methods study using online surveys and focus groups to explore the experiences of ethical and legal dilemmas and the support structures available to (i) paediatric intensive care teams as a proxy for specialist children's centres and (ii) paediatricians working in the general setting in the UK. Our main findings illustrate the broad range of ethical and legal challenges experienced by both groups in daily practice. Ethics training and the availability of ethics support were variable in structure, processes, funding and availability, e.g., 70% of paediatric intensive care consultants reported access to formal ethics advice versus 20% general paediatricians. Overall, our findings suggest a need for ethics support and training in both settings. The broad experience reported of ethics support, where it existed, was good – though improvements were suggested. Many clinicians were concerned about their relationship with children and families experiencing a challenging ethical situation, partly as a result of high-profile recent legal cases in the media. Further research in this area would help collect a broader range of views to inform clinical ethics support's development to better support paediatric teams, children and their families.

scholarly journals Three models for the regulation of polygenic scores in reproduction

2021 ◽  
pp. medethics-2020-106588
Author(s):  
Sarah Munday ◽  
Julian Savulescu
Keyword(s):  
Human Genetics ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Embryo Selection ◽  
Risk Scores ◽  
Regulatory Regime ◽  
Polygenic Scores ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

The past few years have brought significant breakthroughs in understanding human genetics. This knowledge has been used to develop ‘polygenic scores’ (or ‘polygenic risk scores’) which provide probabilistic information about the development of polygenic conditions such as diabetes or schizophrenia. They are already being used in reproduction to select for embryos at lower risk of developing disease. Currently, the use of polygenic scores for embryo selection is subject to existing regulations concerning embryo testing and selection. Existing regulatory approaches include ‘disease-based' models which limit embryo selection to avoiding disease characteristics (employed in various formats in Australia, the UK, Italy, Switzerland and France, among others), and 'laissez-faire' or 'libertarian' models, under which embryo testing and selection remain unregulated (as in the USA). We introduce a novel 'Welfarist Model' which limits embryo selection according to the impact of the predicted trait on well-being. We compare the strengths and weaknesses of each model as a way of regulating polygenic scores. Polygenic scores create the potential for existing embryo selection technologies to be used to select for a wider range of predicted genetically influenced characteristics including continuous traits. Indeed, polygenic scores exist to predict future intelligence, and there have been suggestions that they will be used to make predictions within the normal range in the USA in embryo selection. We examine how these three models would apply to the prediction of non-disease traits such as intelligence. The genetics of intelligence remains controversial both scientifically and ethically. This paper does not attempt to resolve these issues. However, as with many biomedical advances, an effective regulatory regime must be in place as soon as the technology is available. If there is no regulation in place, then the market effectively decides ethical issues.

The Law of the Press in Canada (I)

1969 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-124
Author(s):  
Ronald G. Atkey
Keyword(s):  
The Press ◽  
The Law

The Law of the Press

1934 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 418
Author(s):  
Harry Polikoff ◽  
William G. Hale ◽  
Ivan Benson
Keyword(s):  
The Press ◽  
The Law

Schemes of Arrangement: Law and Practice

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoff O’Dea ◽  
Julian Long ◽  
Alexandra Smyth
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Private International Law ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Foreign Companies ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
English Law ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Uk

This new guide to schemes of arrangement draws together all of the elements of the law and practice concerning both creditor and member schemes. Member schemes of arrangement have become the preferred method of implementing takeovers in the UK. Creditor schemes of arrangement are increasingly used in restructuring matters and the trend in their usage in foreign companies is likely to continue as many credit documents across Europe are arranged and underwritten in London under English law. The book considers the effect given to an English scheme in foreign jurisdictions, and other Private International Law issues. A major issue for those considering a scheme for creditors is whether a scheme or CVA (Company Voluntary Arrangement) is more appropriate and this book assists the reader by including an analysis of the pros and cons of schemes and CVAs. There are very few sources of information on schemes of arrangement and the area takes much of its substance from case law. This book, addressing the law and practical issues faced by practitioners on a day-to-day basis, is a first in the field.

Product Liability

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fairgrieve Duncan ◽  
Richard Goldberg
Keyword(s):  
Strict Liability ◽  
Product Liability ◽  
Case Law ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Financial Loss ◽  
Liability Law ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Product Liability is a recognised authority in the field and covers the product liability laws through which manufacturers, retailers, and others may be held liable to compensate persons who are injured, or who incur financial loss, when the products which they manufacture or sell are defective or not fit for their purpose. Product defects may originate in the production process, be one of design, or be grounded in a failure to issue an adequate warning or directions for safe use and practitioners advising business clients or claimants will find this book provides all the necessary information for practitioners to manage a product liability claim. This new edition has been fully updated to take account of 10 years of development in case law and regulation, and the increasing impact of cross-border and transnational sale of goods. The Court of Justice of the European Union handed down major rulings concerning the Product Liability Directive which affect the application of the Directive and national arrangements and Fairgrieve and Goldberg examines this in detail. For any legal practitioner operating in areas which require knowledge of European product liability law, an understanding of the impact of recent developments is essential and this work is an essential resource for practitioners working on product liability, sale of goods, personal injury and negligence. The work provides comprehensive coverage of the law of negligence as it applies to product liability, of the strict liability provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, and of the EU's Product Liability Directive on which the Act is based. Although the majority of cases involve pharmaceuticals and medical devices, in recent English cases the allegedly defective products have been as diverse as a child's buggy, an All Terrain Vehicle, and even a coffee cup. Many cases are brought as group actions, and the book examines the rights of those who are injured by defective products. As well as considering the perspective of the law as it has developed in the UK, this edition contains detailed discussion of case law from other jurisdictions including the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France and Germany. The coverage in the work is complemented by a full analysis of issues which arise in transnational litigation involving problems of jurisdiction and the choice of laws.

‘The moral in the story’: a diachronic investigation of lexicalised morality in the UK press

Corpora ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Marchi
Keyword(s):  
Recent History ◽  
Moral Issue ◽  
General Picture ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
The Press ◽  
Discourse Studies ◽  
Lexical Items ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Access Patterns

In this paper, I explore the discourses surrounding whatever is explicitly identified as a moral issue in the SiBol corpora. This analysis is mainly diachronic but will combine a variety of parameters in order to access patterns of change/stability across different newspapers, within a single newspaper in time, across different news types, across topics and in the broader context of recent history. I adopt the Corpus-Assisted Discourse Studies (CADS) 2 2 See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus-assisted_discourse_studies methodology – merging, and shunting between, quantitative and qualitative approaches. The analysis investigates morality-related lexical items, their collocations, the surrounding contexts, and the news items and topics they are framed within, in an attempt to offer a general picture of the topic, while also aiming to provide an in-depth understanding of what the press means or projects by moral.

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