Ralph D. Barney - Böcker

Less than two months after the September 11 tragedies, a group of scholars gathered at Washington and Lee University to advance ideas on whether there can be a universal set of moral values toward which media professionals may look for guidance. Those conference scholars, whose works appear in this special issue, both challenge and reinforce conventional wisdom. An entertaining and useful centerpiece launches the discussion, suggesting four standards that tend to be universal, but need discussion to attach themselves to journalism. This is followed by a look at the ambiguity of codes relative to those who use them. In a more abstract approach, the September 11 attacks are seen as creating the need for a commitment to global communitarianism to align powerful western media and the rest of the world. The next article examines the aftermath of a code drafting program for Central American journalists, declaring that long-term effects have been minimal. An excerpt from the keynote speaker concludes the conference texts, citing the relationship between listener and radio and posing the choice for the listener as one between ignorance and freedom.

Revisiting the topic of ethics codes in the media, this special issue begins by tracing the first 50 years of code writing and code enforcement experiences of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). The second article shows how the 2000 Member Code of Ethics assumes professional standing for PRSA members, emphasizes public relations' advocacy role, and stresses education rather than enforcement as the key to improving industry standards. Next, this special issue traces the evolution of the Israel Broadcasting Authority's (IBA) code of ethics through five permutations between 1972 and 1998 and analyzes how journalistic codes of ethics in the United States wrestle with the matter of leaks. The Cases and Commentaries section explores the ethical ramifications of a public relations practitioner's decision about presenting a false front group of grassroots image as a part of a public relations campaign. Finally, two book reviews stimulate further thought about entertainment media ethics and ethics in cyberspace.