The unique ethics situations that Bloomberg case exposes

Adam Geller of the Associated Press writes about how the Bloomberg snooping scandal exposes how new media companies face unique ethical situations.

Geller writes, “‘Many more journalism companies will face the type of competing values that the journalists at Bloomberg faced because, as the economic model for journalism changes, more companies, if they’re successful, are going to look like Bloomberg,’ said Kelly McBride, who teaches journalism ethics at The Poynter Institute.

“Today’s technology gives many types of news organizations access to information about consumers’ preferences for certain types of content, without clearly settled understandings of how that information should be used. Technology also has made it easier for reporters, and everybody else, to snoop.

“‘In a digital world in which everything online at some level, if you have the expertise, is probably available, this is simply reality,’ said Alex S. Jones, director of the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University.

“At the same time, new types of journalism ventures are relying on different constituencies, often without clear rules for engagement, McBride said. Non-profit news organizations rely on donors, rather than advertisers. Others rely on advertisers who pay to sponsor content.

“All together, the uncertainties of those new relationships will force media organizations to grapple with tough questions, McBride says.”

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