Abstract

This case study will analyze David Briscoe’s first-person account of the shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas, May 2018. Briscoe gave an interview stating he was a substitute teacher working at the high school on the day of the shooting. His interview was then published on a number of websites and in newspapers without research being done to verify who he was and if he was actually there. “The Santa Fe Independent School District’s spokesperson Lindsey Campbell said they didn’t have an employee named David Briscoe” (Smith, 2019). This is a media ethics issue because it has to do with the responsibilities of a journalist to be accurate. The Potter Box, which is a four-step framework that analyzes the facts, values, principles, and loyalties concerning a media situation will be employed. The responsibility of a journalist will also be analyzed using Bok’s Model for Ethical Decision Making. "The first step of Bok's Model is to consult your own conscience about the rightness of an action. The second step is to seek expert advice on alternatives to the act of creating an ethical problem. The third step is to conduct a discussion with the parties involved" (Patterson et al, 2019, p.5). Answering the following questions can add clarity to the ethical responsibilities of a journalist:

1. Micro question: How should sources of information be confirmed?

2. Mid ranged question: Why should a newspaper issue a retraction if a source is found out to be false?

3. Macro question: What are the risks involved when publishing an interview without first verifying the source?