Media ethics

The mass media are one of the most powerful institutions in society. With that power, SHOULD come great responsibility. This course will explore the origins of ethical behavior and actions within the media. We will look at both classical and contemporary approaches to ethical decision making and apply them to modern media practices. At the same time, we will ask whether the media today are acting appropriately in regard to ethical practice, and if not, why not. We will not only critique media practices, we will also search for suggestions that will most positively affect both the media institutions and the publics with which they interact and upon which they rely for their livelihood.