Den moraliska journalisten : En analys av yrkesetik, ideal och dygder

Sammanfattning: The journalistic practice is permeated by ethical issues. Central concerns in this dissertation are to question the validity of different forms of professional ethics, and to discuss how to deal with moral issues internal to journalism, such as how to understand truth, consideration or justice. In this regard the analysis contains arguments for ethics and morals in relation to a theoretical understanding of value. The dissertation concludes with an outline for a holistic position, which is based on assent to realism and a hermeneutic interpretation of morals. The conclusion also contains a normative position concerning professional ethics for journalists.The dissertation has a five-fold purpose. The first is to analyze the official framework for professional ethics amongst journalists. This is accomplished by a discussion of two mass media theories, namely the theory of consequential neutrality and the theory of social responsibility, and also by an analysis of the official Code of Ethics for the Press, Radio and Television. This model for professional ethics is called a Model for Regulative Ethics. A second purpose is to investigate the journalists’ apprehensions and their professional morals in relation to their practice through an empirical qualitative investigation amongst ten news journalists. The third purpose is to develop my own criteria for a valid professional ethics. The fourth is to compare and examine three models for professional ethics of another kind than a regulative model. These are a Model of Virtue Ethics, a Model of Responsibility and a Model of Vocation. The fifth purpose is to present an alternative model of a professional ethics amongst journalists. This is called a Model of Holism.