Untitled Page

Journalism Ethics and Media Responsibility by Ruben Rabinsky, Ph.D. Overview Setting the Stage: Questions to Think About... This module will focus on the Ethics and Epistemology (knowledge or understanding) of 'Good Journalism': what is good journalism? What are the main ethical duties that journalists should strive to fulfill in their professions? Why (and how) does the pursuit of Truthfulness, Accuracy, and Objectivity count towards and promote 'good journalism'? What (if anything) is 'bad journalism'? What (if any) social responsibility do journalists have towards their news audience and the general public? What duty (if any) does the news audience have in its task of evaluating the various news reports they review? What (if any) is the role of journalism and the media in the preservation and promotion of a Free Society (a broader concept than democracy)? Is there relation between Objectivity, Truth, Freedom of Expression, and the ideals of economic, cultural, intellectual, and political freedom. These issues explore the relation between Objectivity, Truthfulness, and Liberty involve both ethical and epistemological (knowledge-based) questions and will engage the students critical thinking skills across the curriculum and other prominent areas besides Journalism, such as Science, History, the Legal and Justice professions, as well as in the requirements of daily living. Introduction The profession of Journalism and the nature of the Mass Media have always impacted our culture in terms of the values and ethical ideals it promotes (or fails to promote). Journalists themselves must abide by Professional Ethical Codes of Conduct, which require that they strive to be objective and truthful in their news coverage. In exploring these questions, we will consider various related sub-issues, such as: What is (or should be) newsworthy? Do all journalists have the same ethical duty to be objective in their news reporting? Or does the ethical duty to be objective (and the standards for objectivity) vary, depending on the kind of journalism that one practices? Are sensationalistic news reports necessarily unethical? Are there any moral limits on the journalist's natural right to Freedom of Expression? Is there any justification for the censorship of (at least some) types of news reports?

Journalism Ethics and Media Responsibility

by Ruben Rabinsky, Ph.D.

Overview

Setting the Stage: Questions to Think About...

This module will focus on the Ethics and Epistemology (knowledge or understanding) of 'Good Journalism': what is good journalism? What are the main ethical duties that journalists should strive to fulfill in their professions?

Why (and how) does the pursuit of Truthfulness, Accuracy, and Objectivity count towards and promote 'good journalism'? What (if anything) is 'bad journalism'?

What (if any) social responsibility do journalists have towards their news audience and the general public? What duty (if any) does the news audience have in its task of evaluating the various news reports they review?

What (if any) is the role of journalism and the media in the preservation and promotion of a Free Society (a broader concept than democracy)? Is there relation between Objectivity, Truth, Freedom of Expression, and the ideals of economic, cultural, intellectual, and political freedom.

These issues explore the relation between Objectivity, Truthfulness, and Liberty involve both ethical and epistemological (knowledge-based) questions and will engage the students critical thinking skills across the curriculum and other prominent areas besides Journalism, such as Science, History, the Legal and Justice professions, as well as in the requirements of daily living.

Introduction

The profession of Journalism and the nature of the Mass Media have always impacted our culture in terms of the values and ethical ideals it promotes (or fails to promote). Journalists themselves must abide by Professional Ethical Codes of Conduct, which require that they strive to be objective and truthful in their news coverage.

In exploring these questions, we will consider various related sub-issues, such as:

What is (or should be) newsworthy? Do all journalists have the same ethical duty to be objective in their news reporting? Or does the ethical duty to be objective (and the standards for objectivity) vary, depending on the kind of journalism that one practices? Are sensationalistic news reports necessarily unethical? Are there any moral limits on the journalist's natural right to Freedom of Expression? Is there any justification for the censorship of (at least some) types of news reports?