Journalisten, kommunikatören och dilemmat etik : En studie kring likheter och skillnader i uppfattning om rätt och fel

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this survey was to find out how news journalists and PR practitioners in the public sector interpret and apply the concept of ethics in their professional lives. With the help of qualitative interviews, we have investigated the similarities and differences in attitudes toward the ethical concept of the two professional groups, and also how important the personal attitude and the “inner ethical compass” are for the ethics applied in the work. We have also focused on the importance of the regulated professional ethics of each profession. A total of ten professionals were interviewed; five PR practitioners in public administration, and five news reporters. All respondents work in the region of Värmland and has been selected through a snowball sampling. We have used qualitative interviews that have been recorded on tape. The material was then transcribed and analyzed based on the ad hoc-method called briocolage, where we looked for themes and patterns in responses. The material was then compiled and interpreted on the basis of the theoretical framework surrounding the study. As a theoretical ground for the study two literature reviews have been used; one on what the research in public relations say about the ethics for the PR professions, and one on the journalism industry. The results from these are described in the theory chapter. There we also take a closer look at the concept of ethics, as well as the theoretical ideals consequence neutrality and social responsibility theory. We also discuss the concept of objectivity from an ethical theory perspective, and present research on the ethics concept at the individual level. The study results show that the similarities in the interpretation and application of the ethical concept between the two professional groups are greater than the differences. The main difference noted is that the journalists seem to attribute the overall professional ethics of greater importance than the PR practitioners do. This may be attributed to the fact that the industry-wide professional rules are much clearer and well established throughout the journalism business, than they are in the PR industry. However, there are several more similarities. Both professional groups emphasize the concept of truth as central when it comes to the ethics of the profession; the information they send out must be true, whether you are a journalist or a PR practitioner. Both groups say that their own perception of ethics, the “inner compass”, is very important, even more important than the industry standards 4 when it comes to ethical considerations in the profession. Another interesting result is that all respondents except one, based on the interpretation of the concept of ethics, can consider switching to the other industry; thus go from being PR practitioners to journalists, and vice versa. The studyʼs hypothesis; that journalists are more ethical in their professional role than PR practitioners, is not confirmed. The conclusion is rather that the interpretation and application of the concept of ethics, is not dependent on whether you work as a journalist or PR practitioner. It depends primarily on their own interpretation of what is ethical.