Ethical Dilemmas (Research Paper Sample)

ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN “CONVERSATIONS WITH A KILLER: TED BUNDY’S TAPES Student’s Name Institution of Affiliation Course City Date Introduction Experimental journalistic documentaries, despite being credible and engaging and used for educating people, always pose several major ethical issues. This essay delves into the ethical challenges entrenched in the creation of journalistic documentaries, with a focused lens on the renowned series "Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes.” This paper takes a deeper look at various ethical dilemmas concerning the making of this movie and its impacts on the audience and the people represented in this production to find out the facets of journalism. More broadly, however, the exploitation of a confirmed manipulative sexual predator like Ted Bundy and the heroisation of this high-profile killer pose pertinent questions concerning journalistic objectivity and advocacy, the structures of the plot, and the responsibilities before both the perpetrator and the victims. This essay aims to provide a better insight into the ethical issues at the center of such documentaries and encourage reflection on the overarching ethical concerns of documentary films. Ethical Challenges in Documentary Production Informed Consent Informed consent remains an essential concept that forms the ethical framework of documentary films. It provides the subjects with sufficient information concerning the intended documentary and the implications of participation. However, Fanning and O'Callaghan (2022) argue that in the context of "Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes,' the issue of informed consent is sensitive because the documentary is based on actual events involving serial killers. Although Ted Bundy is a convicted serial killer and a murderer, he appears not only as the protagonist of the film but also as the one whose voice and views determine the given story. By utilizing news footage, kinescopes, audiotapes, and interviewing Bundy himself, McCann (2021) notes that the documentary also raises questions of ethical concerns of manipulating an individual who was not able to liberate himself from his situation and the power relationship between the filmmaker and the subject or object, when the subject is dead. However, it remains debatable if using Bundy's recorded interviews as a source in this book is ethical when the man himself was never nominated. Sensationalism vs. Informative Content: Sensationalism versus informative content poses another significant ethical dilemma in producing "Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes.” Thus, any credible documentary on notorious criminals such as Ted Bundy will likely resign to entertaining societal violence and crime "Terranova, 2020, p.17). When it comes to Bundy, whose violent and brutal failed, the pathos of whose story crosses the line between shocking and scary is excellent; it is more difficult not to turn the series into a gross and sensationalized piece to attract viewers and keep them absorbed. Indeed, the documentary has a particular structure or architecture and a specific direction and manner of portraying various events or issues. By focusing on Bundy's good looks, wit, and sheer brilliance, the documentary will likely give the audience a very appealing and even somewhat sympathetic crook, which may reinforce glorifying the criminal's deeds. Also, graphic portrayals and encouragement of reenactment may only heighten Bundy's crime and result in mere stimulation of the macabre instead of increasing awareness of the crime or sympathy for the victims. Documentaries should worry more about the truth rather than shocking the viewers by showing the proper side of ugly stories or simply making people's misery and suffering serve the purpose of entertainment. In addition, some scholars consider sensationalism an issue related to the particular program, other shows and programming strategies, and the overall view of society (Arbaoui et al., 2020, p. 303). According to Glikson (2021), Einstein once said that it has become apparent that our technology has exceeded our humanity. As such, McCabe (2022) affirms that extolling myths and stereotypes about serial killers and the criminal process in series like "The Ted Bundy Tapes" twists public mentality about criminals and continues to generate more enmity. Accuracy and Truthfulness Maintaining accuracy and truthfulness is paramount in journalistic documentaries, yet it poses a significant ethical challenge, particularly in the case of "Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes.” While the documentary aims to depict the crimes committed by Bundy and his possible motives, some vital issues concern the staging by using a blow-by-blow combination of fact and fiction by Walters (Eid, 2023, p.33). There are two themes of narrative styles in documentaries. Consequently, there are two types of usage: the effective stimulation of the viewers and the creation of a narrative. Nonetheless, this form of narration has one disadvantage: it is oriented to subjective perception, so the actual events might be left out while the legends grow. For Bundy, whose odyssey of crime extended across several states and affected many victims, the crises of summarizing a mass of details into manageable and comprehensible stories and doing so with high accuracy are simply herculean tasks. Victim Representation and Respect Victim representation and respect emerge as crucial ethical considerations in documentary filmmaking, especially in productions like "Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes,” where the audience is presented with a man and his victims' stories. This ethical controversy arises given the need to tell the stories of these lost souls even while realizing the possibility of revictimization and objectification, “proved controversial by appearing to be downplaying the severity of the killers’ crimes and caused discussion of the ethics of aligning the spectators to side with, and sympathize with, two of the most recognized names in serial killer history.” (Milde, 2021, p.4). The victims' rights action plan also directly applies to documentaries since these productions have a civic duty to show the victims' cases with compassion, decency, and professionalism. Although it may be relatively easy to represent other victims and give them a face, this is especially difficult in the case of Bundy's victims because their experiences are most horrific, and their stories should not be told in a way that sensationalizes the tragedy or lightheartedly simplifies their suffering (Maračinskaitė, 2021, p.57). Moreover, the depiction of graphic aspects or even illustrations may contribute to the continuous suffering of the survivors and their families, as exploitation rather than the patients' and their families' best interests become the focal point at times. Impacts on the Audience and the Society Desensitization and Emotional Exploitation According to Harris (2020), the series "The Ted Bundy Tapes" gives the audience a jolt about the possibility of becoming desensitized towards violence due to graphic portrayals of supposedly shocking acts. That is why the analysis of the narrative and the role of visualization in the given documentary contributes significantly to understanding the possible impact on the audience's emotions and can produce an appealing but ambiguous combination of educational and emotional appeal. Given this, McKenna (2024) asserts that the documentary glorifies Bundy through traits such as charm, intelligence, and charisma and a reverting effect of the worse outcomes as his images depict more of a notorious serial killer. However, by depicting heroes and devils and giving graphic descriptions, audiences may feel disturbed, and ethical considerations are raised about using viewers' emotions to get more ratings and attention. Perpetuating Myths and Stereotypes The movie strongly impacts public opinion and confirms cultural myths, including criminality. This paper examines how "The Ted Bundy Tapes" possibly contributes to stereotyping in portraying serial killers due to its focus on the cult-like following that Bundy has and the overly dramatic portrayal of his crimes. This can be seen as a weakness because focusing on Bundy's intelligence, charm, and the music he liked can somewhat destigmatize criminal behavior and may skew the audience's perception and the portray...