Media Ethics
JMC 361
Section 001
Spring 2011
9:30-10:45 a.m. MW
G28 SAB
DRAFT
David S. Allen
110A Johnston Hall
229-4619
email:
Office hours: 2-3 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and by appointment.
Course Objectives
This course is intended to aid students in analyzing ethical problems in news, as well as persuasive and entertainment media. Perhaps more importantly, however, this course is intended to move beyond the level of analysis and toward the goal of providing students with a moral framework for making decisions.
In an effort to meet this goal, this course attempts to aid students in examining their own values by introducing students to ethical and political theory and asking students to apply those theories to specific cases and situations. The goal of this course is not to force students to change their values, but to allow students to develop an understanding of the values that guide their lives and how those values influence their decision-making. By the end of the semester, it is hoped that students will have developed their critical abilities to recognize and be sensitive to ethical problems and will have gained a foundational understanding of ethical and political theory that can be used to guide dilemmas that confront media practitioners and citizens.
Texts and Readings
There is one required text for this class. It is: Michael J. Sandel, Justice: What’s The Right Thing To Do? New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (2009).
ISBN: 978-0-374-18065-2. Retail: $15 hardcover; $9.95 paperback.
In addition, there are a number of readings for this class. All are available through Golda Meier Library’s e-reserve site. (Please note that some readings might be added during the semester. They will be announced at a later date.) They are:
Baker, C. Edwin. “Different Democracies and Their Media.” Chap. in Media, Markets, and Democracy. New York: Cambridge University Press (2002): pp. 129-153.
Bellah, Robert, Richard Madsen, William M. Sullivan, Ann Swidler, and Steven M. Tipton. “We Live Through Institutions.” Chap. in The Good Society. New York: Alfred A. Knopf (1992): pp. 3-18.
Gardner, Howard, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and William Damon. “The Conditions of Good Work.” Chap. in Good Work: When Excellence and Ethics Meet. New York: Basic Books (2001): pp. 15-36.
Steiner, Linda. “Feminist Theorizing and Communications Ethics.” Communication, 12 (1991): 157-174.
Examinations
There will be two exams—a midterm and a final. The exams will be a combination of short-answer and essay questions. (For the exam dates, see the attached schedule.) No make-up exams will be allowed unless approved and scheduled prior to the announced exam dates.
Paper Assignments
Throughout the semester, students will be asked to write one short response to a case study and develop a longer case study that they will share with other students in the class.
The short-writing assignment will be worth 50 points. This assignment will ask students to read and analyze a specific case from the text and/or from a handout. They will be graded and returned. The goal of this short-writing assignment is to allow students to better assess their values and the development of their ethical-reasoning skills.
Students will also be asked to research and write a case study that they will share with the rest of the class. Beginning early in the semester, students will be asked to select a general topic, conduct research on that topic, and then put together a case study that highlights the ethical questions surrounding that topic. These case studies will be graded. They will also be posted on the class Desire To Learn (D2L) discussion forum during the final weeks of class and students will be required to respond to some of the case studies. The case study is intended to aid students in conducting research on ethical issues, as well as help students determine the primary ethical problem or problems within a situation. As we will discover, determining the primary ethical problem is central to ethical decision-making. The final case study is worth 100 points. Please note that I have set aside time later in the semester where I will be available to work with students outside of class on their papers.
All of the writing assignments will be graded on a student’s ability to make connections with concepts and ideas explored in readings and lecture, in addition to grammar and writing. More information on each of these assignments will be provided as paper deadlines near. Please be aware that no late assignments will be accepted unless approved prior to the due date.
Class Discussions
Generally, we will try to concentrate on one general topic a week. (See the attached schedule.) It might be necessary to adjust the schedule as the semester progresses. Students will be responsible for information contained in the readings and class lectures. I also recommend printing copies of the PowerPoint slides before attending the lecture. These are available through D2L. It will make it easier to follow along and make your note-taking easier.
One of the goals of this class is to move the discussion of ethical and political theory, as it relates to the media, from the abstract to the practical. For us to achieve that goal, class discussion is essential. That means I expect more from you than questions, although questions are welcome at anytime. I want your opinions, your ideas, and your comments. I expect you to bring possible discussion topics to class.
Some of the subjects that we will be discussing are likely to generate strong feelings for some members of the class. I strive to be open to diverse ideas and comments, and I expect all members of the class to be similarly receptive. This does not mean you must agree, only that you treat people with respect and civility.
Academic Misconduct
It is essential that all work (remember, this is an ethics class) submitted for this class be your own and/or contains proper attribution. UWM’s academic misconduct policy is as follows: “The university has a responsibility to promote academic honesty and integrity and to develop procedures to deal effectively with instances of academic dishonesty. Students are responsible for the honest completion and representation of their work, for the appropriate citation of sources, and for respect of others’ academic endeavors.”
I will refer cases of academic misconduct to the College of Letters & Science with a recommendation for disciplinary action. A more detailed description of Student Academic Disciplinary Procedures can be found in Regents Policy, UWS Chapter 14 and UWM Faculty Document #1686. Please do not let this happen. If you have questions about this policy, please contact me.
Points
Points will be awarded based on the following:
Midterm exam 50 points
Final exam75 points
Final case study100 points
Responses to final student
case studies15 points (5 points for each post)
Short-writing assignment50 points
Total points290
Class Schedule
ME=text, Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning
WeekSubjectAssignment
1-24IntroductionNo assigned readings
1-31Values and InstitutionsBellah, et al.; and Gardner, et
al.
2-7Role of Ethical Theory
2-14The Role of Ethical TheorySteiner
First writing assignment due in D2L Dropbox by 9:30 a.m. p.m. Monday, Feb. 14
2-21The Role of Political TheoryBaker
2-28News: Truthtelling
3-7News: Reporters and Sources
3-14Review and midterm examNo assigned readings
Exam on Wednesday, March 16
3-20Spring break
Class Schedule
ME=text, Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning
DaySubjectReading Assignment
3-28News: Privacy
4-4Advertising: Commercialization of Life,
Image-based Culture
4-11Advertising: Commercialism,
Professional Culture
Wednesday, April 13: No class, individual meetings on case studies
4-18Public Relations: Public Communication,
Telling the Truth
4-25Public Relations: Conflicting Loyalties,
Demands of Social Responsibility
5-2Special Issues in Ethics: Violence and
Media
5-9Special Issues in Ethics: Censorship and
Free Speech
No class Wednesday, May 11; read and respond to case studies