"Ace in the Hole" Questions

1. As a journalist Tatum did not have a responsibility to rescue to man. His job as a journalist was to objectively report the story. Helping rescue the trapped man influenced how Tatum reported the news story. The personal relationships he made with many of those involved in the incident was skewed Tatum’s story and led to its complete loss of objectivity. The ethical decisions Tatum faced involved keeping the man in the mine longer than he needed to be, so that Tatum and others could personally benefit from the story. Tatum should never have let himself get so personally involved in the story. He should have simply done his job as a journalist and reported the news, rather than try and make the news himself.


2. I think the film accurately depicts the idea of media hype. Although there is not a carnival and vendors at every media event, the media does sensationalize the news. The film is a good example of the media agenda setting theory. The media is not always concerned with what its audience needs to know, but many times is more concerned about what its audience wants to hear about. Stories with low national newsworthiness but high human interest frequently make headline news in the media today. While I can not think of any recent specific stories, the media often find unique individuals going through a struggle, and build a human interest piece that finds its way into the media’s top stories.