Business_Ethics_Case

Business Ethics Case George Washington Carver once made the statement that “When you do common things in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world” (“American History fun facts, 2012, para. 16). Many see his words in a multitude of ways; however, truth lies in any interpretation. Shirley Jones found one truth in Carver’s statement with the help of an article in the National Enquirer and her subsequent law suit. Calder v. Jones, the U.S. Supreme Court case brought by Jones, comes a result of an article in the National Enquirer that targeted Jones’s drinking habits. Although the National Enquirer exists as a somewhat fictitious media, the information in the article created a great deal of controversy for all parties involved with the publication. Society has a wide variety of written media at their disposal; however, not every article, book, or other publication holds credibility. The National Enquirer carries the status of “America’s original supermarket tabloid,” rather than a credible, informative news medium (Farhi, 2010, p. 39). As a tabloid, many often view the publication as false and merely a written form of entertainment. According to Farhi (2010), the National Enquirer is “a disreputable scandal sheet and all-around guilty pleasure, filled with an enthusiastic combination of the lurid, tawdry, and the wholly preposterous” (p. 39). Nevertheless, during Iain Calder’s reign as editor-in-chief, the company made the costly mistake of targeting actress Shirley Jones and her drinking habits. In response to the article ran regarding her personal life, Shirley Jones brought a civil law suit against Calder, the National Enquirer, and John South, the reporter responsible for the article. The law suit claimed that she had been libeled, experienced an invasion of privacy, and experienced intentional emotional distress (“Calder v. Jones (1984)”, n.d.). The suit carried some jurisdictional concerns because both South and Calder lived in Florida. In the California Court of Appeals, the petitioners successfully argued that California did not have jurisdiction over them. However, Jones brought the case to the U.S. Supreme court, where “She used the state’s ‘long arm’ statute to assert the California courts’ jurisdiction over the defendants” (“Calder v. Jones (1984)”, n.d., para. 3). John South and Iain Calder failed to have similar success in the second appeal as the “United States Supreme Court held that California had personal jurisdiction over the petitioners” (CaseBriefs, 2012, Held). As such, the findings eliminated any thought the defendants had of denying responsibility. Success in the corporate realm hinges upon a company’s ability to generate revenue. As such, the National Enquirer has to sell copies of their publication to make a profit; therefore, the company has to provide consumers with content he or she wishes to read. Unfortunately, the content that South and Calder felt would generate revenue came at the expense of actress Shirley Jones. The intent may not have been to intentionally damage the reputation, feelings, or mindset of Jones; however, the company intentionally ran an article highlight the actress’s drinking habits. Both Calder and South knew the nature of the content within the article and of the possible consequences of their push to publish the article in the tabloid. As a result, the ethically sound decision should have resulted in Calder and South accepting responsibility for their actions rather than attempting to contest the suit. In conclusion, Calder v Jones carries a great deal of significance in the legal realm, as well as that of the media. Shirley Jones successfully sued the National Enquirer, Iain Calder, and John South for libel, invasion of privacy, and intentional emotional harm. With the help of the United States Supreme Court, she proved that regardless of credibility of the source of media, or location of the individuals responsible for the information, one cannot escape the “long arm of the law” (“Calder v. Jones (1984)”, n.d., para. 3). References American History fun facts. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.american-history-fun-facts.com/famous-quotes.html Calder v. Jones (1984). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ric.edu/faculty/tschmeling/courses/calderbrief.htm CaseBriefs. (2012). Calder v. Jones. Retrieved from http://www.casebriefs.com/blog/law/civil-procedure/civil-procedure-keyed-to-subrin/the-choice-of-an-appropriate-court-personal-jurisdiction-notice-and-venue/calder-v-jones/2/ Farhi, P. (2010). Going Respectable'. American Journalism Review, 32(2), 38-41 FindLaw. (2012). Calder v. Jones, 465 U.S. 783 (1984) . Retrieved from http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl'court=us&vol=465&invol=783