Assignment : Breaking News
In today's media landscape, the needs to make quick decisions require that media practitioners have a keen sense of media ethics to understand how they should proceed in disseminating information to the public, especially in regards to social media. Over the course of the week, pay attention to news media, such as websites and network television news, and evaluate how they broadcast "breaking news."
Choose one story that appeared on two different media sources. For instance, the story appeared on CNN and also on ABC News. Then, using the codes in Appendices One, Two, Three, and Four from the textbook, choose a set of ethical codes by which you analyze the breaking news.
To help you know when news is breaking, try setting alerts on your smartphone to be notified by using various networks' free apps. If you use social media, you can also connect to their newsfeeds and be alerted. When you receive the coverage, make notes about it and consider the ethical guidelines that you believe were followed or violated. In a two- to three-page paper, address the following:
? Identify a recent breaking news story and two media sources the story appeared in.
? Discuss a set of ethical codes used in the analysis of the breaking news story.
? Discuss any issues with objectivity, perspective, and bias that were present in the reports.
? Using the set of codes you chose from Appendices One, Two, Three, and Four from the textbook, discuss how those ethical codes were adhered to in the reporting of the story.
? Using the set of codes you chose from Appendices One, Two, Three, and Four from the textbook, discuss how those ethical codes were violated in the reporting of the story.
The assignment must be completed using the APA style format and must include a title page, in-text citations, and a full list of references at the end. You must cite at least one reference from the textbook and at least one reference from scholarly outside reading material. References for each of the stories must also be included.
Discussion 1 : Censorship in the News
You are the editor of the Town Times. The paper reported on Tuesday that a fire raced through the middle school, causing major damage. The 200 students enrolled at the school must move to other buildings. On Wednesday you discover that two 13-year-old students are being held on suspicion that they set papers on fire in the basement after the school day had ended Monday.
You are told their names. Your newspaper has an "unofficial agreement" with the County Prosecutor's Office that the names of juveniles ages 14 and under accused of crimes are not published. It is at the newspaper's discretion whether to follow this policy. One of the boys accused of setting the fire, Damon Roderick, is the nephew of the newspaper's general manager, Roland Bradstreet.
As editor, do you publish Damon's name in Thursday's edition even though he is only 13? Do you also publish the second boy's name? Why or why not? Are there any special circumstances that make it important to publish the boys' names in this case? Explain your reasons for publishing or not publishing the boys' names.
Your initial post should be at least 250-300 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates' posts by Day 7.
Discussion 2 : Stealth Advertising
Read Case Study 10 "Strangers Bearing Gifts" in Chapter 3 of the Jacquette textbook, and answer the following: What is the best course of action for the network?
Should the diabetes treatment video be shown on the nightly report together with the announcement about pharmaceutical brochures being available in physician offices? Why or why not?
Would airing the video violate any principles of journalistic ethics? Would it be okay to air the video without an announcement about the company's brochures?
What alternative plan (if any) could be made to share information about the diabetes treatment on the nightly report? Or should the pharmaceutical company be told to buy advertising on the network to promote its treatment plan?
Your initial post should be at least 250-300 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references.