A pdf workbook of the complete Ethics Module is available here

Structure of the Ethics Module

This course module in ethics is structured in four parts: 

• Introduction to the module including the value of case studies (below)
• Information on how ethical values and principles are formed
• A Worksheet for making informed decisions
• A bank of case studies for analysis and discussion
  
  

Why a course module in ethics?

Journalists spend a great deal of time talking about "doing the right thing." Why is it then that the consumers of mass media perennially find so much fault with the ethics of the disseminators of news and information? What has led the media to believe and act the way they do? Do they have a special obligation to ethical behavior that ordinary citizens do not; or do they, in fact, have a special waiver of the basic moral tenets that the rest of the population must accept in order that they might have access to a "free marketplace of ideas?" These are the questions we must ask ourselves is we are to be moral agents of the mass media.

What is a case study analysis?

A case study presents an account of what happened in a particular situation. For our purposes, the cases all involve journalistic decision making. A case chronicles the events that reporters and editors have to deal with, such as what stories to cover and why, whether to violate someone’s privacy in the public’s interest, how to decide what constitutes conflict of interest, and many others. 

Cases are valuable for several reasons. First, cases provide you with experience in journalistic problem solving that you may not have had the opportunity to experience firsthand. In a relatively short period of time, you will have the chance to appreciate and analyze the problems faced by many reporters and editors and to try to understand how to deal with them. 

Second, cases illustrate what you have learned. The meaning and implication of this information are made clearer when they are applied to case studies. The theory and concepts help reveal what is going on in the situations studied and allow you to evaluate the solutions that you adopt to deal with the problems. It is important to remember, however, that no one knows for sure what the right answer is. All that anyone can do is to make the most informed decision. Using cases to see how theory can be put into practice is one way of improving your skills ethical decision making—skills you can then use when the real thing comes along. 

Third, case studies provide you with the opportunity to participate in a process of decision making and to gain experience in presenting your ideas to others. This is how decisions are made in the actual world of journalism. 

Analyzing a case study 

As just mentioned, the purpose of the case study is to let you apply the concepts you've learned when you analyze the issues facing a specific journalistic situation. To analyze a case study, therefore, you must examine closely the issues with which your media outlet and those affected by your decision are confronted. 

A detailed analysis of a case study should include the following seven areas: 

1. A definition of the ethical issue/problem.
2. The immediate facts have the most bearing on the ethical decision you must render in this case, including any potential economic, social, or political pressures.
3. A list of claimants in this issue and the way are you obligated to each of them.
4. A list of at least 3 alternative courses of action.
5. Consideration of the ethical approaches you have learned, asking whether they either support or reject any of your alternatives.
6. Determination a course of action based on your analysis.
7. Defense of your decision in the form of a letter addressed to your most adamant detractor.