Ethical Dilemmas of Moral Muteness in Media and Advertising Agencies: A Case of Print Media in Pakistan

Aim of the Study: Moral muteness or the inability or reluctance to address ethical concerns when faced with moral conflicts is a serious problem in Pakistan’s print media advertising industry. In this study, the factors of client pressure, organizational culture, fear of retaliation and internal conflicts between personal values and professional responsibilities are examined as leading to moral muteness among advertising professionals. Methodology: A qualitative research methodology was employed and 53 advertising professionals from creative directors, account managers and media planners from the leading agencies in Pakistan were interviewed through semi structured interview. Findings: The results indicated that intense client demands, a profit centered organizational culture and job insecurity create an environment where ethical discourse is not promoted, and professionals resort to rationalizing moral compromises to keep their careers afloat and client relationships intact. Supporting these measures, and from industry bodies like Pakistan Advertisers Society (PAS), All-Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) could be a way to establish a suitable framework in which trade needs to be undermined by ethical standards. Conclusion: The present study contributes to the literature on media and advertising ethics by investigating the ethical dynamics in Pakistan’s advertising sector. Examples of what could be recommended include building an ethical culture of open ethical openness, and developing the industry’s ethical standards. Future research is suggested to study the effect of digital transformation on ethical decision making in advertising and to evaluate the effectiveness of the ethics focused reforms in agencies.