The Ethical Journalist Making Responsible Decisions in the Pursuit of News

by Foreman, Gene

• ISBN13: 9781405183949
• ISBN10: 1405183942
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-09-08
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

The Ethical Journalist gives aspiring journalists the tools they need to make responsible professional decisions. Provides a foundation in applied ethics in journalism Examines the subject areas where ethical questions most frequently arise in modern practice Incorporates the views of distinguished print, broadcast and online journalists, exploring such critical issues as race, sex, and the digitalization of news sources Illustrated with 24 real-life case studies that demonstrate how to think in 'shades of gray' rather than 'black and white' Includes questions for class discussion and guides for putting important ethical concepts to use in the real world Accompanying website includes model course schedules, discussion guides, PowerPoint slides, sample quiz and exam questions and links to additional readings online

Author Biography

Gene Foreman joined the Penn State faculty in 1998 after retiring from The Philadelphia Inquirer, where he managed newsroom operations for more than 25 years under various titles—managing editor, executive editor and deputy editor. He also was a vice president of the company.
At Penn State, he was the Larry and Ellen Foster Professor from 1999 until his retirement from full-time teaching in December 2006. He taught courses in news editing, news media ethics and newspaper management. In 2003, Foreman received two awards for excellence in teaching in the College of Communications—the Deans' Award and the Alumni Society Award.
As a visiting professor, he continues to direct the Foster Conference of Distinguished Writers, in which acclaimed journalists are brought to campus to discuss their experiences and techniques. He also is a guest lecturer in courses at Penn State and conducts seminars to help professionals improve their skills.

Table of Contents

Foreword Journalism Genes

Preface

Acknowledgments

A Foundation for Making Ethical Decisions

Why Ethics Matters in Journalism

Ethics The Bedrock of a Society

The News Media's Role in Society

For Journalists, a Clash of Moral Duties

The Public and the Media Love and Hate

Applying Four Classic Theories of Ethics

Using a Code of Ethics as a Decision Tool

Making Moral Decisions You Can Defend

Exploring Themes of Ethics Issues in Journalism

Stolen Words, Invented Facts ... Or Worse

Conflicts of Interest Divided Loyalties

The Business of Producing Journalism

Getting the Story Right and Being Fair

Dealing with Sources of Information

Making News Decisions About Privacy

Making News Decisions About Taste

Deception, a Controversial Reporting Tool

Covering a Diverse, Multicultural Society

Ethics Issues Specific to Web Journalism

Ethics Issues Specific to Visual Journalism

Ethics in the Changing Media Environment

Conclusion Some Thoughts to Take With You

Case Study Sources

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.