Question

Which of the following is not an ethical practice?
(A) Sensationalism
(B) Plagiarism
(C) Paid news
(D) Fake news
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. (A), (B) and (D) only
• B. (A), (B) and (C) only
• C. (A), (B), (C) and (D)
• D. (B), (C) and (D) only

Hint:

Ethical journalism is built on principles of truth, accuracy, fairness, and accountability. Any practice that deliberately misleads, deceives, or harms the public, such as sensationalism, plagiarism, paid news, or fake news, is a violation of these core ethics.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify the practices from the list that are considered unethical in journalism and communication. The phrasing "Which of the following is not an ethical practice?" is equivalent to "Which of the following is an unethical practice?".
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's examine each practice:
- (A) Sensationalism: This is the practice of presenting news in a way that is intended to provoke public interest or excitement, at the expense of accuracy. It is an unethical practice.
- (B) Plagiarism: This is the act of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. It is a serious breach of ethics in any field, including journalism.
- (C) Paid news: This refers to content that is presented as unbiased news but is actually a paid advertisement. This deception violates the trust between the media and the public and is unethical.
- (D) Fake news: This involves the deliberate creation and sharing of false or misleading information disguised as genuine news. It is fundamentally unethical and harmful.
All four practices listed—Sensationalism, Plagiarism, Paid news, and Fake news—are considered unethical.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Since all the given options are unethical practices, the correct choice is the one that includes all of them: (A), (B), (C) and (D). This corresponds to option (3).