Lesson 3 Overview

 

Introduction

In the first lesson, we introduced the idea of using a balance scale to help resolve ethical dilemmas in a manner that allows us to maximize truth telling while also trying to minimize harm. We said the two pans of the scale would be labeled "Publish" and "Don’t Publish." We would attempt to identify the journalistic principles and factors particular to the news event itself that should be placed in the respective pans, all the while recognizing our obligations to stakeholders (those affected by the decision) involved in the story.

Furthermore, we would try to project the outcome of potential courses of action and identify alternatives that would allow us to move beyond gut-level or yes/no decisions. We’ll try to further this concept with a few concrete illustrations.

In Lesson 3, we need to also identify the various “roles” a journalist might be expected to play in today’s society and talk about how those moral obligations could influence the ethical decisions made in the pursuit of a news story. We’ll explore the journalist’s obligations as a

• citizen,
• watchdog,
• truth teller,
• empowerer, and
• participant or helper.

Finally, we’ll examine the love/hate relationship between the public and the media, with an eye toward increasing transparency.

Objectives

Here are the objectives for this lesson:

• Continue to develop a framework for resolving ethical dilemmas, including an understanding of the conflicting "roles" or obligations for a journalist.
• Explore the correlation between ethical transgressions by journalists and the public's perception of the news media.

Lesson Readings and Activities

​By the end of this lesson, be sure you have completed the readings and activities listed in the Lesson 3 course schedule.