Something about ethics in communication. But what exactly are or is ethics? Ethics is the perceived rightness or wrongness of an action or behavior. Ethics is a type of moral decision making, and determining what is right or wrong is influenced by a society with its rules and laws. A number of influences affect ethical standards. As William Howell (1986) notes, the timing and time of the conversation, the environment, and the human relationships all affect the application of ethical standards.
From a communication perspective, ethical issues surface whenever messages potentially influence others. Ethical issues also involve revealing information. Finally, ethics are a consideration with regard to messages on television. For instance, television could be used constructively if children are sent messages which promote racial harmony and tolerance; however, portrayals of ethnic and cultural groups in stereotypical and offensive ways have obvious ethical implications. This way, media is or could be used to send a message about tollerance and teaching about ethics by using communication.
