News Media Ethics

Opening Themes

First questions

First questions

• What role should news journalism play in democratic public life?

First questions

• What role should news journalism play in democratic public life?– Does this differ in authoritarian and oligarchic

governments

First questions

• What role should news journalism play in democratic public life?– Does this differ in authoritarian and oligarchic

governments• How do different media (e.g. newspapers,

radio, broadcast tv, 24/7 cable news, internet based sources) differ in their coverage of news?

First questions

• What role should news journalism play in democratic public life?– Does this differ in authoritarian and oligarchic

governments• How do different media (e.g. newspapers,

radio, broadcast tv, 24/7 cable news, internet based sources) differ in their coverage of news?– How have new digital media changed journalism?

First questions

• What role should news journalism play in democratic public life?– Does this differ in authoritarian and oligarchic governments

• How do different media (e.g. newspapers, radio, broadcast tv, 24/7 cable news, internet based sources) differ in their coverage of news?– How have new digital media changed journalism?

• Where do you get your news?– Who owns your content, what is their business model, and

why does it matter?

What is news journalism?

What is news journalism?

Journalism as a Civic/Public Good

What is news journalism?

Journalism as a Civic/Public Good• “Journalism is the only media enterprise that

democracy absolutely requires—and it is the only media practice and business that is specifically mentioned and protected by the U.S. Constitution”

What is news journalism?

Journalism as a Civic/Public Good• “Journalism is the only media enterprise that

democracy absolutely requires—and it is the only media practice and business that is specifically mentioned and protected by the U.S. Constitution”

• Provides the public information necessary for self-governance

What is news journalism?

Journalism as a Civic/Public Good• “Journalism is the only media enterprise that

democracy absolutely requires—and it is the only media practice and business that is specifically mentioned and protected by the U.S. Constitution”

• Provides the public information necessary for self-governance

• Plays a “watchdog” function and serves as a check to corporate and political power

What is news journalism?

Journalism as a Business

What is news journalism?

Journalism as a Business• Journalists must create content that attracts

mass audiences whose attention can be sold to advertisers

What is news journalism?

Journalism as a Business• Journalists must create content that attracts

mass audiences whose attention can be sold to advertisers • We do the “work of watching” commercials and

are compensated with news content

What is news journalism?

Journalism as a Business• Journalists must create content that attracts

mass audiences whose attention can be sold to advertisers• We do the “work of watching” commercials and

are compensated with news content• News must compete with other media options

and journalists have an incentive to produce a form of “info-tainment”

What is news journalism?

Journalism as a Business• Journalists must create content that attracts mass

audiences whose attention can be sold to advertisers• We do the “work of watching” commercials and are

compensated with news content• News must compete with other media options and

journalists have an incentive to produce a form of “info-tainment”

• Journalists have incentives to produce stories that stimulate commercial consumption.

What is news journalism?

Journalism as a Business• Journalists must create content that attracts mass audiences

whose attention can be sold to advertisers• We do the “work of watching” commercials and are compensated

with news content• News must compete with other media options and journalists

have an incentive to produce a form of “info-tainment” • Journalists have incentives to produce stories that stimulate

commercial consumption.• They may be discouraged from producing stories that

challenge corporate or political power

What is news journalism?

Journalism as a Business

• Since the Telecommunications Act of 1996, we have seen the return of enormous media monopolies—with just a handful of corporations controlling the vast majority of of content.

What is news journalism?

Journalism as Activism/Advocacy

What is news journalism?

Journalism as Activism/Advocacy• Journalism driven by personal passions and

ethical, political, philosophic commitments

What is news journalism?

Journalism as Activism/Advocacy• Journalism driven by personal passions and

ethical, political, philosophic commitments• Revitalized by new digital media (which allow

individuals and small groups to publish on small budgets)

What is news journalism?

Journalism as Activism/Advocacy• Journalism driven by personal passions and

ethical, political, philosophic commitments• Revitalized by new digital media (which allow

individuals and small groups to publish on small budgets)

• Journalism as a tool to help create the world we wish for

What is news journalism?

Journalism as Activism/Advocacy• Journalism driven by personal passions and

ethical, political, philosophic commitments• Revitalized by new digital media (which allow

individuals and small groups to publish on small budgets)

• Journalism as a tool to help create the world we wish for • Critics say the rejection of objectivity is unethical

What is news journalism?

Journalism as Activism/Advocacy• Journalism driven by personal passions and ethical,

political, philosophic commitments• Revitalized by new digital media (which allow individuals

and small groups to publish on small budgets) • Journalism as a tool to help create the world we wish for

• Critics say the rejection of objectivity is unethical• Advocates argue that no news is objective-- all journalism is

advocacy, but the mainstream journalist’s values are just hidden behind a mask of “objectivity”