The articles in this issue span across multiple media sectors, yet all focus on questions of credibility and engagement.
Even some of the best public relations veterans will acknowledge that they can have a tendency to talk more and listen less than they should. In their study, Katie Place and Emily Flamme promote good listening as an ethical imperative, documenting how it rests on key moral principles such as dignity, respect, empathy, and humility.
Can news readers tell the difference between actual photojournalism images that accompany articles and stock photos? And if they can, does it matter? The answers to both questions appear to by yes, according to a study by Tara Mortensen and her colleagues.
How might brands’ use of social media marketing affect consumer motivation and perceptions of ethics, particularly during and after the social distancing of the COVID-19 pandemic? In their study, Cid Gonçalves Filho, Flavia Braga Chinelato and Renata de Sousa da Silva Tolentino found that “consumer perceived ethicality” on social media had a significant and consistent effect on brand engagement, usage, and identification with brands.
Finally, Audrey Galvin explores the tension among Irish journalists between pressures in covering murder-suicides and ethical standards calling for caution and sensitivity.