An article that caught my interest is ‘Coca-Cola Funds Scientists Who Shift Blame for Obesity Away From Bad Diets‘ by Anahad O’Connor. According to O’Connor, Coca-Cola provided funding to Global Energy Balance Network, an organization which promotes the notion that Americans are too focused on their diets rather than concentrating on exercise (O’Connor, 2015). This implies that obesity is due to the lack of exercise rather than a poor diet, ‘despite evidence that exercise has only minimal impact on weight compared with what people consume’ (O’Connor, 2015). The reason why Coca-Cola is turning to scientific means is because their sales are dropping due to the decrease in soda consumption over the years (O’Connor, 2015), and while funding research is widespread in the food industry, ‘studies suggest that the funds tend to bias findings’ (O’Connor, 2015). In a way, Coca-Cola is paying researchers to let them get what the company wants to hear.
This is a form of normative ethics ‘which is concerned with moral judgement, ethical action, and the criteria for right and wrong’ (Chorazy, 2020). The public would think that since science is credible, it is alright to consume more sugary drinks which increases the obesity epidemic. Coca-Cola, health professionals and researchers are not being transparent in their words, disregarding the health of the people for their own benefit by downplaying the importance of a healthy diet. In this case, the message that ‘exercise, and not diet, is the best way to prevent weight gain’ (Dvorsky, 2015) is not constructed with the general public in mind, but it is for the benefit of Coca-Cola. Those involved are not being ethical because they know that this is harmful yet continue to promote the notion that sugary drinks are not the leading cause of obesity.
As a communications professional – particularly in the field of journalism, there are some ethical considerations I would have to observe ‘to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough’ (SPJ, 2014). My personal values and morals remind me that I am tasked to report the truth and not have hidden intentions in what I write. I personally feel that how ethical one is reflects their own values and morals and whether one is capable of making the choice they feel is right. As a journalist, I should try to avoid involving my personal feelings so as to stay as objective as possible. If my work were to harm an individual but it is for the good of the public, I would take responsibility and explain my rationale as I believe that being accountable and transparent in my actions would allow me to be a better journalist.
O’Connor, A. 2015, Coca-Cola Funds Scientists Who Shift Blame for Obesity Away From Bad Diets, The New York Times, viewed 12 March 2020, <https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/coca-cola-funds-scientists-who-shift-blame-for-obesity-away-from-bad-diets/?_r=0>
Dvorsky, G., 2015, Health Experts Say Coca-Cola is Funding its Own Science to Deliberately Mislead the Public, gizmodo.com, viewed 12 March 2020, <https://io9.gizmodo.com/health-experts-say-coca-cola-is-funding-its-own-science-1723404812?IR=T>
Chorazy, E. 2020, COMM2733_2020_CLASS2 – Research Ethics Audiences_Workshop_Final-1, PowerPoint slides, COMM2733, RMIT University, viewed 12 March 2020, <https://rmit.instructure.com/courses/70338/files/10731260/download?wrap=1>
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) 2014, SPJ Code of Ethics, SPJ.org, viewed 12 March 2020, <https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp>
CONTEMPORARY APPROACHES TO MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION ASSIGNMENT 3 BLOG 