Fall, Spring
This course offers an examination of the fundamental ethical principles of media essential to democratic self-government. As media become ever more central to civil society and community, the ways in which messages frame issues are more directly related to individual values, beliefs and world views. Students need not arrive at the same set of moral principles, but they are encouraged to develop the moral reasoning and acuity necessary to arrive at a coherent and consistent moral framework. The course involves extensive use of case studies in addition to primary and secondary readings in the history, principles and practices of media as seen through journalism, public relations and general media.