The “Potter’s Box” Model as a Tool for Ethical Justification of Journalistic Decisions in the Conditions of War
Abstract
The The article examines the application of the “Potter's Box” model of moral analysis as a methodological guide for ethical decision-making in journalistic practice. It emphasizes the need to rethink traditional approaches to ethics in the media and adapt existing models to the modern information environment.
The study conducted a comparative analysis of the “Potter's Box” model with the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics, which revealed a deep correlation between the stages of the model and the principles of ethical journalism. Each of the four stages of the model (situation description, value identification, ethical principles analysis, and loyalties determination) is detailed, and the application of leading ethical theories — utilitarianism, deontology, the "golden mean", and agape theor y— in the journalistic context is analysed.
The authors emphasize that the “Potter's Box” model has significant potential as a tool for professional self-reflection and informed decision-making in ethical uncertainty. Its use allows for a structured analysis of moral dilemmas without imposing a single “right” solution, which is especially important in the context of information warfare and social polarization.
The results of the study can be used both as a theoretical basis for further scientific research in the field of journalism ethics, and in the practical training of journalists for professional activity in conditions of increased moral and ethical responsibility.
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