CJ 412: Mass Media Ethics

Fall 2009

SECTION 001- 9:15-10:45pm T Th HHH 108

SECTION 002 - 11:00-12:15pm T Th HHH 108

Mr. Jack Kapfer

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Office: HHH 105A Phone: 836-2300

Office Hours: M, W 11-11:50am/T, W 1-1:50pm & By Appt.

Web page: www.uwec.edu/kapferja Email:kapferja@uwec.edu

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Class schedule and readings

(This is a tentative schedule and subject to changes – As much as possible, changes will be announced in class but it is best to monitor the schedule on the web page or in D2L.)

Week 1

Thursday, Sept. 3: Introductions; overview of syllabus

Week 2

Tuesday, Sept. 8: Contrasting ethics and morals; the theory of agape. Before-class Quiz 1 on Gordon et al., Controversies in Media Ethics (CME), Chapter 1, and Rachels, “What Is Morality?” – the latter you can find in the D2L “Content” area.

Also, read CME pp. 1-7 and from the bottom of p. 19 to the middle of p. 21 in Christians et al., “Media Ethics” (ME).

Machiavellian ethics. Read Gordon et al., CME, pp. 15-16, and Christians et al., ME, pp. 76-78.

Thursday, Sept. 10: Machiavellian ethics. Read Gordon et al., CME, pp. 15-16, and Christians et al., ME, pp. 76-78.

Week 3

Tuesday, Sept. 15: Rawls’ veil of ignorance theory. Read Christians et al., ME, pp. 18-19 and 127-132.

Thursday, Sept. 17: Mill’s theory of utilitarianism. Read Gordon et al., CME, pp. 16-17, and Christians et al., ME, pp. 16-18 and 229-230.

Week 4

Tuesday, Sept. 22: Kant’s categorical imperative theory. Read Gordon et al., CME, p. 17, and Christians et al., ME, pp. 15-16 and 157-159

Thursday, Sept. 24: Aristotle and Confucius’ golden mean theory. Before-class Quiz 2 on Gordon et al., Overview (pp. 1-25).

Also, read Gordon et al., CME, pp. 11-12; Christians et al., ME, pp. 12-15 and 113-116; and The Washington Post’s Herbig story, found in the D2L “Content” area.

Week 5

Tuesday, Sept. 29: “House” Assignment. Before-class Quiz 3 on Christians et al., ME, Preface (pp. ix-xiii) and Introduction (pp. 1-25). Also, read Christians et al., ME, p. 215.

Thursday, Oct. 1: : Potter box practice. Read Christians et al., ME, pp. 78-80, and Gordon et al., CME, Chapter 15-G, pp. 285-287

Week 6

Tuesday, Oct. 6: The 10 Questions method. Read Christians et al., ME, pp. 152-155, 200-202. “The Paper” assignment.

Thursday, Oct. 8: Moral development theory. Also read Christians et al., ME, pp. 36-39.

Week 7

Tuesday, Oct. 13: “The Paper” Assignment due. On this day, the Case Study/Teaching Day Presentation and teaching groups will be assigned.

Thursday, Oct. 15: Is the truth all that matters? Before-class Quiz 4 on Gordon et al., CME, Chapter 4. Also, read Christians et al., ME, pp. 39-41, and Gordon et al., CME, chapters 15-I and 15-J, pp. 291-294.

Week 8

Tuesday, Oct. 20: Pluralism in the media. Gordon et al., CME, chapters 6 and 7. Also, read Christians et al., ME, pp. 265-270 and 276-277.

Thursday, Oct. 22: Conflicts of interest. Before-class Quiz 5 on Gordon et al., CME, Chapter 14. Read Christians et al., ME, pp. 216-217

Week 9

Tuesday, Oct. 27: Codes of ethics. Before-class Quiz 6 on Gordon et al., CME, Chapter 3.

Journalism ethics: anonymous sources. Read Elliott, Responsible Journalism (RJ), “Introduction” and Chapter 4 – in the D2L “Content” area under “Responsible Journalism Articles” before class. Also read Christians et al., ME, pp. 61-63 CASE STUDY PROPOSAL DUE.

Thursday, Oct. 29: More Journalism Ethics.

Week 10

Tuesday, Nov. 3: Public relations ethics. Gordon et al., CME, Chapter 5. Also, read Christians et al., ME, pp. 191-195. Read Gordon et al., CME, Chapter 15-D, pp. 276-279

Thursday, Nov. 5: Advertising ethics. Before-class Quiz 7 on Gordon et al., CME, Chapter 13. Read Christians et al., ME, pp. 145-148.

Also read Gordon et al., CME, Chapter 15-C, pp. 275-276, and Christians et al., ME, pp. 161-164.

Week 11

Tuesday, Nov. 10:. Before-class Quiz 8 on Gordon et al., CME, Chapter 11.

Also, read CME Chapter 15-A, pp. 270-273, and Christians et al., ME, pp. 181-183.

Thursday, Nov. 12: Teaching Day presentations

Week 12

Tuesday, Nov. 17: Infotainment. Before-class Quiz 9 on Gordon et al., CME, Chapter 12. Also read Christians et al., ME, pp. 178-181.

Thursday, Nov. 19: Teaching Day presentations

Week 13

Tuesday, Nov. 24: Digital media ethics. Before-class Quiz 10 on Gordon et al., CME, Chapter 9 and Chapter 15-F, pp. 281-285.

Thursday, Nov 26: No Class-thanksgiving Break

Week 14

Tuesday, Dec. 1: : Privacy issues. Before-class Quiz 11 on Gordon et al.,CME, Chapter 8. Read Christians et al., ME, pp. 116-119.

Thursday, Dec. 3: Teaching Day presentations

Week 15

Tuesday Dec. 8: Violence in the media. Before-class Quiz 12 on Gordon et al., CME, Chapter 10. Read Christians et al., ME, pp. 241-245.

Thursday, Dec. 10: (Last day of class) Teaching Day presentations

FINAL EXAM:

Sec. 001 – 9:30-10:45pm: Monday Dec. 14, 10am.

Sec. 002- 11:00-12:15pm: Wednesday Dec. 16, 10am