Business Ethics

Business Ethics

3.5 Business Ethics:

The National Enquirer, Inc. is a Florida corporation with its principal place of business in Florida. It publishes the National Enquirer, a national weekly newspaper with a total circulation of more than 5 million copies. About 600,000 copies, almost twice the level in the next highest state, are sold in California. The National Enquirer published an article about Shirley Jones, an entertainer. Jones, a California resident, filed a lawsuit in California state court against the National Enquirer and its president, who was a resident of Florida. The California lawsuit sought damages for alleged defamation, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Calder v. Jones, 465 U.S. 783, 104 S.Ct. 1482, 79 L.Ed.2d 804, Web 1984 U.S. Lexis 4 (Supreme Court of the United States)

1. What kind of paper is the National Enquirer?

The National Enquirer is a weekly tabloid paper. Dictionary.com (2011) defines a tabloid as a paper which is “concentrating on sensational and lurid news, usually heavily illustrated.” Because a tabloid is more concerned with appealing to a wider audience, they are less interested in offering intelligent, accurate news stories. They attempt to twist their stories to sound more controversial and exciting than they actually are, enticing the audience to purchase the paper.

2. Was it ethical for the National Enquirer to try to avoid suit in California?

As the National Enquirer is a nationally published paper it was unethical for them to try to avoid suit in California. I believe their motivation for this was to avoid being tried by a community sensitive to the plight of celebrities and the intrusive media, which is what makes their avoidance unethical.

3. Are the defendants subject to suit in California? Why or why not?

Yes the defendants are subject to suit in California. According to the website, FindLaw (2011), “Here, California is the focal point both of the allegedly...