Analysis Paper - Media Ethics - Madysen Early
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Madysen Early
Analysis Paper: Bombshell
Media, Ethics and Society
Due: 11/01/2023
In the 2019 film “Bombshell”, the main ethical dilemma that arises is that of ultimately having a successful career and a respectable reputation, or telling the truth. Each of the three main anchors in the film face their own version of this dilemma. First, there is Gretchen, who faces the dilemma of standing up for her own beliefs and values (such as her perspective on men), or maintain her position in her business. It first became clear that Gretchen was faced with this ethical dilemma when she was demoted from the more popular segment of the Fox News station to her own show in a dead afternoon time slot. At this point, Gretchen is placed in a position to act with a loyalty to herself and to her organization. She worked through this dilemma with grit and with strategy. Even prior to her being terminated all together from the organization, she was plotting her attack on Roger Ailes and his crimes. I believe that it is because of her ambition and her dedication to the exposure of
the truth that made her successful in her actions. Gretchen had loyalties to two main conflicting
categories, being her career/organization (Fox), and herself. She knew that she was dissatisfied with the treatment her, and many other women were receiving in the business, so she felt compelled to act on the loyalty to herself and her identity as a woman. On the flip side, she also felt loyalty to the station, as she had worked very hard and ethically just to get to where she was
in her career, and did not want to sacrifice that on the risk that she could successfully take down
Ailes. Next, there is Kayla, who faces the dilemma of working her way into a successful career, or speaking her truth and help future victims. Kayla is caught between a conflict of watching all
Madysen Early
Analysis Paper: Bombshell
Media, Ethics and Society
Due: 11/01/2023
of her dreams and hard work either sink or swim. She mentions how everyone in her entire family has been Fox supporters and how much it means for her to finally have gotten into the organization. Kayla processes her dilemma through desperation at first. She is so desperate to be successful and to make herself proud that she feels she must do any duty necessary to achieve that. She acts with fear and hesitation, but above all silence. Kayla’s main tool used to work through her dilemma is silence. She keeps this secret about the harassment she underwent with Ailes from her coworkers and from the media. She does, however, ultimately confess her story to Megyn. This is a pivotal moment, as in this scene it is understood that Kayla has officially made her decision and chose which side of her ethical dilemma to be on, which is the side that protects the victims. Similar to Gretchen, Kayla had loyalties to her career with Fox and the organizations. She had expressed her passion for not only the job, but specifically the job with Fox News. The rest of her loyalty goes to fellow victims of sexual harassment. More specifically victims of Robert Ailes, but I believe Kayla had loyalties to any general victim of such heinous acts.
The third, and in my opinion, the heaviest version of the overarching dilemma is faced by
Megyn. Megyn’s ethical conflict is that of telling the truth and using her power to get justice, or keeping quiet to uphold her immaculate reputation in her career field. Megyn spends a portion of working through her process in denial. Denial that Ailes is in fact still doing to others what he did to her long ago. Megyn faces a very perplexing set of loyalties. On one side, she has a loyalty
to all of the victims who are coming forward. She holds so much power in the field, and particularly over Ailes, and so there is a moral obligation that she feels to make things right by
Madysen Early
Analysis Paper: Bombshell
Media, Ethics and Society
Due: 11/01/2023
stepping forward and telling her story. Contradictory, she also has a small loyalty to Ailes. If you set the initial interaction aside, from Megyn’s perspective he has done a lot for her. He seen her potential and gave her exposure and opportunities that others didn’t have. Because of the complexity of her situation, I believe that applying the Potter’s Box will be beneficial to Megyn. Facts:
Roger Ailes has been sexually harassing women in the Fox station for years. Gretchen, after her time at Fox came to a halt, went public with her lawsuit against Ailes personally. Multiple women from other networks began coming forward with claims. Ailes is denying the accusations. Megyn was sexually harassed by Ailes in the beginning of her time with Fox station.
Values:
Truth telling, serving justice, protecting the public, public’s right to know, independence.
Loyalties:
To Fox News, to Roger Ailes, to her colleagues, to her family, to the community, to victims. Principles:
SPJ Code says you should refuse gifts, favors, special treatment, etc. Act independently. Mill’s utilitarianism, RTDNA Code says journalists must refuse to allow the interests of ownership or management to influence news judgment and
content inappropriately. I feel that Sissela Bok’s model is also applicable to Megyn and her situation. This framework can be used to explain how Megyn got to her conclusion throughout the course of the film. First, we
seen her consult her own conscience, as seen by the conversations she held with her husband. Secondly, we seen her seek expertise advice for alternatives. Initially when asked to step forward and make a statement, Megyn tried to find another way by suggesting she find other victims and have them share their stories instead. Lastly, Megyn conducted a public discussion
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Madysen Early
Analysis Paper: Bombshell
Media, Ethics and Society
Due: 11/01/2023
with multiple parties, including Kayla, her lawyers, Juliet, Julia and Lilly, to name a few. Ultimately, Megyn’s duty to speak the truth for herself and all of the victims overrode her duty to maintain her business relationship with Ailes. Lastly, let’s look at the ethical dilemma Fox News management, including Rupert Murdoch, faced. The dilemma at hand for them was to serve justice to all of the women on staf
who fell victim to Ailes and O’Reilly, or cover up the scandal to continue making profit. Rupert Murdoch and his sons held the power in the consequences for Ailes’ actions. Once the scandal went public and women began lining up to confess, Murdoch had two options; fire him or cover it up. Now, it is no lie that Ailes was good at his job. He made the network billions with his organization and management of segments. That being said, Murdoch and other management risked a significant blow to the pocket if they departed from Ailes. But they risk much more by allowing him to stay. Had they let Ailes remain in his position, they could have lost dozens of staf members both man and woman, countless viewers and supporters as well as sponsors, etc.
I believe that Murdoch, despite his history with Ailes, knew that doing the ethically “correct” thing would ultimately have less of a consequence than keeping Ailes on his pedestal. Their loyalties were split similarly to Megyn’s. They had loyalty to Ailes for all he had accomplished for
the network, all of the good he had done for the company. They also had loyalties to their staf. Loyalties to their viewers, to the other victims of harassment, to the industry as a whole. Allowing someone who is creating a toxic, hostile and inappropriate climate to continue to work
in your environment under your management simply because they are producing high numbers
Madysen Early
Analysis Paper: Bombshell
Media, Ethics and Society
Due: 11/01/2023
would be an unethical act. I believe that their decision was entirely guided by professionalism, loyalty, truth and justice.