Abstract

This media ethics case study will analyze how former NHL star and NBC Sports broadcaster Jeremy Roenick’s comments about a female co-worker led to him being fired by NBC. The Potter Box is going to be used to decide analyze the extent to how much this invades someone’s privacy. The Potter Box looks at the facts, values, principles, and loyalties that exist under ethical and unethical circumstances (Patterson et al., 2019). John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism principle will also be used to analyze the ethics of Roenick’s comments as a media professional. Further analysis will be made by discussing who Roenick was loyal to with the statement he made about his female co-worker. Answering the following three questions will further analyze the situation:

1. With whom did Jeremy Roenick’s loyalty lie?

2. Did NBC do the right thing by firing Jeremy Roenick on the spot?

3. Should Jeremy Roenick be held accountable for his actions?