Was Will McAvoy right to insist on having the last word in the interview with Nick Santorum’s aid?

Journalism’s main goal is to truthfully inform the public and give them news. However, doing so with respect to some ethical values that are not to be compromised. In fact, one of the key principles journalists must apply is: “Be cautious when making promises, but keep the promises they make” (Society of Professional Journalists, 2014). Nick Santorum, in his news report promises to respect all fundaments of news reporting and journalism, seeking the truth and informing the public about it.

However, it seems very debatable whether Nick kept his promise or not. He and his team’s promise was to diverge from mainstream American news and satisfy the importance of an educated elector to a democracy (McAvoy, 2013). Now one must say McAvoy starts off having one goal: informing the public about the racist homophobic and hypocrite politician that is Rick Santorum. However, he diverges from that by making it about ego, more than truth. While he explained that their previous fault was deeply rooted in that they “took a dive for the ratings” (McAvoy, 2013), it seems here too, he goes for the ratings that a heated interview might get. He also claims they will be the “mortal enemy of innuendo, speculation, hyperbole, and nonsense” (McAvoy, 2013) but seems to use excessively harmful and hurtful language with his interviewee — Santorum’s aid. The only promise McAvoy seems to live up to is that he will not make an effort to “subdue [his] opinions” — which he clearly doesn’t. (McAvoy, 2013).

In using his interviewee as a means to his end, pressuring him into talking against Santorum, “reduc[ing him] to the color of [his] skin or [his] sexual orientation” (Wall, 2014), he is disregarding a very important rule in the journalists’ code of ethics: “Balance the public’s need for information against potential harm or discomfort.” (Society of Professional Journalists, 2014). He, in fact, attacks the man with daggers of questions, almost making him cry. One can only imagine the harm caused, whether emotional, personal or event professional. Perhaps the interviewee is not comfortable with discussing his race or sexuality — and he surely is not comfortable with admitting that Santorum does not find him “fit to be a teacher” (McAvoy, 2014). McAvoy gave no second thought to the interviewee having to face his students after such a shameful interview, he simply goes for his need to have the last word by asking him this very useless question to the public.

In no way does the way McAvoy brutally interview his guest justifiable in the name of the truth. Now this might seem acceptable for the consequentialist utilitarian ethical theorists who would argue that the end justifies the means, the former being the “greatest happiness” (Mill p. 68). In this case, the “truth” being reached by a great public would be greater in importance than one man’s misery. However, it is arguable whether McAvoy really goes for the truth in the first place, and not for the satisfaction of his ego, as previously argued. That is to say even consequentialists might argue his approach to be merely selfish. Non-consequentialist theorist and value ethics advocators would also argue that McAvoy’s attitude is completely unacceptable. For an ethical and honest end must only be reached with means that are in themselves qualified as such. In fact, Ward argues that non-consequentialists, although valuing the truth, but its “pursuit should not violate commitments to duty and justice” as well as “respect other humans as “ends in themselves”” (p.43).

There are many ways which would have permitted McAvoy to reach the truth without being disrespectful or harmful to his interviewee. He could have conveyed this truth by simply showing the video and quote he showed, and pointing out the hypocrisy in Santorum’s acts, thus not pushing Wall to his limits.

References

Journalists, S. o. (2014). SPJ Code of Ethics. Retrieved from SPJ.org: http://www.spj.org/pdf/spj-code-of-ethics.pdf

McAvoy, W. (2013). Will McAvoy’s Apology (The Newsroom) [Motion Picture]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXrOqjS9ZyA

Wall. (2014). The Newsroom Homosexuality. (W. McAvoy, Interviewer) Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10uIpFWdFwY

Ward (2011) ‘What is Ethics’ in Ethics and the Media, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p. 38

Mill, J.S. (1863). Utilitarianism, p. 68