Ethics Across Professions

The 2003 incarnation of the Colloquia 2000 series on Applied Media Ethics--the fourth in a decade-long series--offered an opportunity for application of various comparative yardsticks testing media ethics maturity. This special double issue reflects concerns of interest to most areas of professional ethics, and concerns of particular interest to media ethicists: the nature of accountability, obligation, power, virtue, and professional-client relationships. In addition, it:

*demonstrates a divide between media ethicists and those of other professions;

*investigates the nature of power;

*discusses the subjects of journalism and virtue;

*carries out the theme of ethics across the professions in the Cases and Commentaries, where five writers grapple with one of the better publicized issues in recent media ethics literature: the Los Angeles Times' imbroglio known as "The Staple Affair;" and

*includes a book review section covering advertising and consumer-citizens, advertising's erotic history, global public relations, general media ethics textbooks, understanding "rules" in society and business, media coverage of the war in Iraq, and a collection of free speech profiles.