Any journalist who completes college in journalism is taught the Journalists Code of Ethics. Journalists are taught these ethics to insure that all journalists will act in a professional and ethical manner. Yet the media violates these codes when they censor music for any reason other than profanity. The first of these codes states: they are taught to support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant (Society). This is perhaps the most important code that journalists are to follow. They are in direct violation of this code when they cave into pressure from the government and religious groups to censor music. The second of these codes states: they are to examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others (Society). Whether it is changing the lyrics to a song or the total banning of a song, unless the song being censored contains profanity, they have an ethical duty not to let their values influence what music they play. The third and final code that applies to this issue states: they are to expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media (Society). This code is violated because the journalists who work at these stations, that censor music, go along with what they are told. These journalists have an ethical responsibility to expose any unethical practices their station may have. To further understand how censorship applies to unethical practices of the media we need to first understand the true definition of the word censor. The word censor has a very specific meaning. If you look in a dictionary the word censor means: to examine for fitness and often delete parts deemed unsuitable (Morehead, 118). In the United States we often think of censorship as the total banning of something. Similar to how the Nazi’s used to burn books in Germany. Censorship in the United States is for the most part exactly how its true definition is stated. The media has determined wh...
