Media Ethics Analysis Essay Sample

Media Ethics
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Media Ethics
Media censorship is considered as the utmost violation of people's rights because it limits the access or disseminates information. In this age, communication marks one of the strengths of prosperity. Most governments and organizations use communication as a tool to understand the needs of the people or consumers. However, questions are still asked on whether too much freedom can be dangerous, especially when sharing information through different media platforms. China is one of the countries that has excelled in media censorship. Journalists, both local and international, are tamed from disseminating or accessing some pieces of information. On the grounds of Stephen Ward's inputs on self-regulation of media, this paper explores the Chinese openness to free press and access to the internet. The analysis should help in understanding China's position to censor the media extremely and what could happen if the present restrictions are removed.
Understanding Chinese Media Restrictions
The Chinese media restrictions have attracted debates from different quotas of the globe, making those restrictions necessary to explore. Source say that China does not have free press nor open access to the internet (Guo, 2020). Mostly, the Chinese have restricted the use of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Google, the leading search engine globally, has threatened to terminate its operations in China due to too many restrictions and the increasing cyberattack threats. The challenge does not stop with the use of the internet, as various mainstream media outlets have complained about media restrictions in China. In a world where freedom of the press and unrestricted use of the internet is considered a strength, individuals are left to wonder about the intentions that mark the Chinese media usage restrictions.
The media restrictions in China are grounded deep in their constitution and culture. China has an established regulatory body referred to as the Regulation on Administration of Publication that oversees publications throughout the country. There are other regulatory bodies whose mandates are specific to television broadcast, news media, and online content. These restrictions and regulatory bodies stem from the Chinese four cardinal principles as framed in 1979 by Deng Xiaoping (Guo, 2020). Currently, the four principles are outlined in the constitution and state that the Chinese must keep the socialist road, uphold the dictatorship of the proletariat, uphold the leadership of the communist party, and uphold Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong thought. The above principles mark the onset of restrictions.
Multiple constitutional assertions have supported the four principles above in restricting media freedom in China. Article 25 of the constitution provides publishers with a list of content that is strictly prohibited (Huang, 2020). These restrictions apply to local and international publishers. Some of the restricted pieces of information include those that could trigger harm to the nation's excellent cultural tradition and social morality, superstition or violence, promotion of obscenity, disclosure of state secrets, sabotaging national solidarity, and pu...