There is an ethical approach to everything in life. Even more so when publishing a material or document. Many seem to overlook this aspect especially when bloggers go overboard with stating things that are highly insensitive and unethical. What’s even worst is when the main media itself makes this horrifying mistake.
On Monday, 14 March 2011, The Star reported that Berita Harian made a very much needed apology for a cartoon has been published. This cartoon wasn’t simple any cartoon but the fact that it portrayed mockery towards the unfortunately devastation in Japan. After the going public with the carton in the newspaper, Berita Harian immediately had hate mails and disappointing views from the public because of their insensitivity during this point and time of grief. Apparently the establish publication did not view the cartoon to be unethical and somehow managed to go public. However, the critics were severe considering Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin tweeted his dissatisfaction; Datuk Mior Kamarul Shahid mentioned that “it is unfortunate that is was under the Berita Harian Sdn Bhd group and Selangor executive Councillor Elizabeth Wong simply tweeted that the cartoon was not even humorous. The citizens were so humiliated that action had to be taken against “inappropriate cartoons”. It was encouraged by Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Azmi that the public take part on signing an online petition against unethical cartoons. The link is as follow if you wish to be a part of the petition http://www.petitiononline.com/bharian/petition.html .
In my opinion, the publication of this cartoon was avoidable considering the cartoon had to go through an editing procedure before it was actually published. Such drawings would have been discarded with especially since it isn’t just an act of mockery but a heartless gesture at that. This also sets are bad example for all further students who are taught to have proper ethics when writing or publishing. Van Krevelen, L (2005, pp.39) states that “publishers have an unique opportunity to further the needed ethical renaissance of the global society, just by working professionally and by observing and maintaining the principles that have made their profession important to the creation of information, important to creativity in civil society.” With this responsibility, the media has to be aware of how graphics can come off easily as offensive. Publishers have to be aware of the visual cues that are being conveyed. Schriver (1997) mentions that any visual or verbal cues we present may be considered important and revealing to some readers while the same cue will be ignored by others, even worst, seen as an offense by others.
References
Schriver, KA 1997, Dynamics in document design: creating texts for readers, Wiley Computer Pub.,New York.
Wong, PM 2011, ‘Berita Harian issues public apology over tsunami cartoon’, theStar, 14 March.
Van Krevelen, L 2005, ‘Truth and heresy: the ethics of publishing in the 21st century’, Publishing Research Quarterly, vol. 20, no.4, pp.35-40, viewed 10 June 2011,
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