This course introduces students to prevailing philosophical approaches to understanding ethics and moral reasoning, and asks them to consider these relative to their roles as media professionals. Students consider and analyze a variety of ethical issues in media including propaganda versus persuasion; objectivity versus salesmanship and advocacy; truthfulness versus sensitivity to public mores; the public's right to know versus individual privacy and conflicts of interest. They also examine behavioural and business guidelines published and promoted by professional media associations and organizations and analyze how these have addressed ethical issues in various sectors of the industry.
This course introduces students to prevailing philosophical approaches to understanding ethics and moral reasoning, and asks them to consider these relative to their roles as media professionals. Students consider and analyze a variety of ethical issues in media including propaganda versus persuasion; objectivity versus salesmanship and advocacy; truthfulness versus sensitivity to public mores; the public's right to know versus individual privacy and conflicts of interest. They also examine behavioural and business guidelines published and promoted by professional media associations and organizations and analyze how these have addressed ethical issues in various sectors of the industry.
