Application Assignment: Mass Communication Critique

Has a provocative media clip showing human suffering caused you to reflect upon your ethical beliefs or to question the beliefs of others? In mass media, gatekeepers known as advertisers, journalists, news stations, media conglomerates, and their associated editorial staff weigh their own ethical beliefs and concerns to determine what is seen. In this Application, you will examine your own ethical beliefs as you analyze how media organizations decide upon the message.

To prepare for this Application:

• Review Chapters 16-18 in the Course Text, The Dynamics of Mass Communication: Media in Transition, and the video "Principles of Risk Communication."

• Review the articles "From the Editor: Questions of Ethics-for Bee and You," "Opinion: From the Editor: The Question Is Ethics, and Readers Respond," and "Impact of the Global Media Revolution."

• Read the two case studies in the "Case Studies for Media Ethics" document in this week's Learning Resources and choose one to focus on for this activity.

• Identify the ethical implications posed in your chosen case study.

• Consider the social implications of the media portrayal discussed in the case study.

• Reflect on how your personal beliefs influence your ethical view of this case study.

The assignment:

• Write a 1- to 2-page critique of your chosen case study that answers the following questions:

o What are the ethical implications of the case studies?
o How did your personal beliefs affect your critique?
o What are the professional, community-based, and environmental effects of the media portrayal presented in the case study?
o Refer to 2 specific examples from your course reading and record in your assignment information about each source, including author, year, page number, and publication title.

o READINGS

- Course Text: The Dynamics of Mass Communication: Media in Transition

o Chapter 16, "Formal Controls: Laws, Rules, Regulations"

This chapter discusses laws, rules, and regulations as they relate to mass media.

o Chapter 17, "Ethics and Other Informal Controls"

This chapter discusses various informal controls on media and their importance to mass media.

o Chapter 18, "Social Effects of Mass Communication"

This chapter examines the effects of media on society. It analyzes how media influences an individual's attitude, knowledge, perceptions, and actions.

- Documents

o Case Studies for Media Ethics (Word document)

Review both case studies and choose one to focus on for this week's Application.

- Articles

o Sill, M. (2009, January 11). Questions of ethics-for Bee and you. The Sacramento Bee, p. E1.

From the editor: Questions of ethics-for Bee and you. Sacramento Bee, by Sill, M. Copyright 2009 by McClatchy Company. Reprinted by permission of the McClatchy Company via the Copyright Clearance Center."

In this editorial, Sill poses hypothetical cases involving journalistic ethics.

o Sill, M. (2009, February 8). The question is ethics, and readers respond. The Sacramento Bee,p. E1.

Opinion: From the editor: The question is ethics, and readers respond. Sacramento Bee, by Sill, M. Copyright 2009 by McClatchy Company. Reprinted by permission of the McClatchy Company via the Copyright Clearance Center."

In this follow-up editorial, Sill recounts some of the responses of staff members and readers.

MEDIA

- Laureate Education (Producer). Principles of Risk Communication [Video file].

Dr. Vicki Freimuth was the Director of Communication at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1996- 2003. In this video program, she describes the mass communication challenges faced by her department during the period of the anthrax crisis in the United States. She details some of the systems put in place to address those challenges and stresses the importance of communicating accurate and timely information to the public during a crisis situation.

Case Study #1: Ethics and the News

Jane is getting ready to go on the air for the 6 p.m. evening newscast at the small local TV station. As she prepares for the broadcast, she considers how she will approach the stories she has been assigned. Which tone would grab the attention of the viewers the best?

The number three story tonight is about a terrorist bombing at a hospital in a country on the other side of the world. Her story! Jane is also the editor of the story and is excited because her crews at the scene sent her great video highly graphic and violent images that will create a greater impact on her audience.

"This will really get me noticed by the big network executives," thinks Jane, as she puts the finishing touches on her story.

As she goes to get coffee, she tells her friend Mark about the story. Mark, however, does not share her enthusiasm. "Don't you see that you're doing just what the terrorists want? You're just going to encourage them. If we want to stop terrorism, we should just stop covering it."

"Yeah" Jane says, "But that's not our job. Our job is to report the news. We also want to beat Channel 10 in the ratings. I'll bet they're going to run it..."

"I know," Mark says. "But one of my journalism professors pounded us with the idea that we're supposed to report the news, not make the news. I worry that encouraging terrorism by reporting it is crossing that line."

"I don't know, Mark. But I've got a deadline to meet. Catch you later."