Ethical dilemmas of prosocial television

Abstract

The present article examines the ethical dilemmas associated with the use of entertainment television for prosocial development. During the 1980s, the production of entertainment television programs for consumption worldwide was unprecedented. While entertainment television is generally created to attract large audiences and sell commercial products, many countries are producing entertainment‐educational programs that are intended to diffuse prosocial messages. U.S. television producers are increasingly pressured by various lobby groups to address social issues on prime‐time television. The promotion of prosocial beliefs and behaviors through television raises important ethical dilemmas, four of which are discussed here: (1) the ethics of distinguishing prosocial television content from antisocial television content, (2) the ethics of depicting socio‐cultural equality through television programs, (3) the ethics of limiting the unintended effects of television programs, and (4) the ethics of using televisi...