On The Ethical Responsibility Of The Mass Media

In the Information Age, the mass media has become the key factor to audience cognition and value assessment. Its influence can be felt not only in social ideology, which helps audience set up the proper world outlook and value, but in the change and progress of peoples and human life styles. At the same time, the mass media counts a lot in the stability and development of society. However, with the rapid growth of medium technology, the ethics of mass media becomes more obvious and urgent than ever, and the contradiction between the mass media and society development is getting greater. Some media agents abuse the entitled rights to overfocus the news, even make affairs intentionally and exaggerate the events. As a result, it will inevitably do damage to the audience' interests. After the industrialization of mass media, in order to achieve the maximum of economic interest, the mass media goes against the rational bases owing to the drive of pursuing profits. Vulgar medium productions display the negative effects on audience, especially, on teenagers. The cultural supremacy from the western world brought by globalization spread the western values in a subtle and pervasive manner;the medium consumptionism takes on the vulgar image in the advertised scenes and undermines our traditional values. Facing the ethical crisis above, the mass media of China should pay close attention to the social price paid for the rapid growth of medium technology, and the interest relationship that needs solving during the course. Therefore, this paper proposes such a point that the ethical reflection on activities of the mass media and enforcement of the mass media's ethical responsibilities will contribute the solution of the difficult situations face by the current mass media society of China, and promote the healthy growth of the mass media. Thus, the mass media become the real symbol for social conscience and value justice.There are four parts in this paper. The first part is about the introduction of meanings, characteristics, functions, effects and responsibility types of mass media. In the second part, there is a theoretical presentation of the ethical responsibilities of mass media and its necessity. And author, specially, analyses the characteristics and contents of the ethical responsibilities of mass media, its theoretical foundations, its responsibilities and its principles. This is the key part of the whole paper. The third part roughly summarizes the difficult situation faced by the mass media in China and its causes. The fourth part discusses the construction strategy of the ethical responsibilities of mass media.According to the author's opinion, the ethical responsibility is a kind of moral responsibilities and obligations based on the certain ethical relations and social roles.The ethical responsibilities of mass media mean that the mass media as the principal part focuses the issues in an ethical way, and the moral responsibilities and obligations derived from that. This is the way of thinking for ethical necessity, a value trend that requires the mass media pursuing both economic efficiency and social justice. The value trend demands, when analyzing, thinking and solving the problems concerning media, that the mass media needs to set up the proper ethical dimensions from the human ethical needs, and build a healthy medium environment that provides the resourceful supply for the harmonious society. In the aspect of theoretical construction strategy, because there exist many relationships, such as freedom and responsibility, the right and responsibility, moral obligation and conscience, purpose and aim, the construction of ethical responsibilities of mass media has its own theoretical foundation. In the meanwhile, the fulfillment of mass moral responsibilities and achievement of ethical justice and criteria show the great significance and values: first of all, the fulfillment of the ethical responsibilities of mass media and the ethical mending of the mass media will contribute to the construction of ethical system, the construction of just medium environment and the development of progress of mass media as well as society. Next, the ethical responsibilities of mass media are based on the moral abilities of subjective consciousness. It embodies the inner demands of the spirit of moral self-discipline. It is the practical means of punishing the evil and encouraging the virtue. So the fulfillment of ethical responsibilities of mass media will help the realization of social values > cultural values and human values. Finally, the ethical responsibilities of mass media cultivates the qualities of being responsible for society, which will influence those in respect of how to view the world, how to judge the world, how to reflect the world and, the attitude towards the world and the way of expressing the world. These qualities also affect their willingness of taking on the social moral responsibilities' sense. Consequently, the fulfillment of the ethical responsibilities of mass media will contribute to the prosperity of nation, the renaissance of the people and the general accomplishment of well-off society, which is the author's original intension and aim.Owing to the author's limited research ability and inadequate preparation, there are surely some faults. Wish teachers and experts liberal with points out mistakes.