Select and complete one of the following assignment options:
Option A - Write a 700- to 1,050-word essay in which you discuss how the information and news media have affected American culture.
Answer the following questions:
- Does the information media have social responsibility? If yes, in what ways? If not, why not?
- What is the role of the information and news media in the shaping of political opinions?
- How have electronic media and their convergence transformed journalism and news consumption?
Illustrate your responses with specific examples.
Format your summary according to appropriate course-level APA guidelines.
Option B - Research the events surrounding the airing and aftermath of the investigative news story "For the Record," produced by CBS news and Dan Rather in 2004.
Based on your research of what actually unfolded, write a 700- to 1,050-word summary of the events and your opinion as to whether or not CBS news should have aired the program. Defend your position based on your understanding of the social responsibilities of journalists.
Include the following in your summary:
- An assessment regarding how information media affect American values
- A description of the role of the news media in politics
- An evaluation of the effect of electronic media on this story
Format your summary according to appropriate course-level APA guidelines.