ABSTRACT

This case study will discuss whether or not an Australian News Site used ethics while creating a story. News.com.au is an Australian News Site ranked number one in commercial for delivering and reporting news and entertainment. An article published on Monday, April 20, falsely stated that Sally Hawach unknowingly infected other guests with the coronavirus at a wedding. The site was completely inaccurate because it was later found that she was infected by another guest who flew in from America. The article was titled “Pregnant woman infects 39 people with coronavirus at wedding” and according to Sally, she has not been overseas for a while now. The article eventually led to an amended article apologizing and stating that she was one of the people there who was infected with the virus. The apology stated that, “we apologize to Ms. Hawach for the error and to the bride and groom and guests for any distress this may have caused” (news.com.au). This case study will use The Potter Box, a four-step method of analyzing if a media issue is ethical by looking at the facts of the case, evaluating the loyalties and values reflected in the case, and by the application of a philosophical principle. The philosophical principle that relates to the ethics of journalism for this situation is communitarianism. “Communitarianism emphasizes the connection between the individual and the community” (Patterson, et al, 2019 p.16). This case study will conclude by answering the following three questions.

1. Micro: Did the news site ruin Sally’s reputation posting the article?

2. Midrange: Discuss whether or not the news media act responsibly according to the code of ethics for journalists.

3. Macro: Explain how the Potter Box could have been used to analyze the ethics of this situation.

Works Cited

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Patterson, P., Wilkins, L., & Painter, C. (2019). Media ethics: issues and cases. Lanham,

MD: Rowman & Littlefield