One of the main objectives of journalism is to prevent the public from being misled by statements of an organization. The Society of Professional Journalists, or SPJ, code of ethics states journalists should be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting, and interpreting information. In George Clooney’s Good Night and Good Luck, our protagonist Edward Murrow struggles with the code of ethics when Senator McCarthy’s campaign to root out communism is a cover for himself being involved in communist ideals. Against the United States Air Force and McCarthy’s committee, Murrow and CBS news outlet present evidence to the public of lies McCarthy has fabricated to conceal his views. Despite facing legal issues as consequence, Murrow presents a credible investigation as his duty in journalism to seek the truth. The call to action in this movie is one of soundness and can be applied to today’s value of mass media.
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