Abstract

This media ethics case study will discuss whether media outlets have an ethical standard to uphold when reporting on death. Is it ethical for the public to be told about a death before the family of the victims are informed? This ethical issue will be analyzed using TMZ’s announcement of the deaths of Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, and seven others in an airplane crash on January 2020. Law enforcement and news sources such as CNN criticized TMZ for reporting on the deaths before the families of the victims were notified. The case study will be looked at through the lens of Bok’s model, created by philosopher Sissela Bok on how working professionals can make ethical decisions. Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperial philosophical principle will also help analyze this ethical situation. The case study will conclude by answering three questions:

1. Should TMZ have released the story before the victim’s family members were notified?

2. Does the way TMZ report this accident follow any established ethical guidelines?

3. Should there be a universal guideline or regulation about how death is reported by media outlets, especially when minors are involved?