Pop quizPop quiz:1. In what city are the

winter Olympics taking place?

2. On what topic is President Obama holding a bipartisan summit on Thursday?

3. Who is the superintendent of the Philadelphia School District?

4. Name any one of the candidates for governor of Pennsylvania.

5. Who is the Temple student currently appearing on American Idol?

6. What happened to Philadelphia International Records over the weekend?

Exam #1 is Tuesday.

No make-up exams unless you:

a). inform me in advance, or

b). have a dire emergency.

The Media of Mass Communication (8th edition)

• Chapter 1: Mass Media Literacy

• Chapter 10: News

• Chapter 15: Mass Communication

• Chapter 20: Mass Media Law

• Chapter 21: Ethics and the Mass Media

Elements of Journalism:

• Chapter 1: What is Journalism For?

• Chapter 2: Truth.

• Chapter 3: Who Journalists Work For.

• Chapter 4: Journalism = Verification.

• Chapter 5: Independence from Faction

There is an exam primer on BlackBoard.

It has names, major subjects and potential questions.

Also read through the past lecture notes.

Everything is posted on BlackBoard.

Definitely know:

• The principles of journalism.

• The newsworthiness criteria.

• The First Amendment.

• What is libel?

• The significance of the Penny Press.

Test format:• ScanTron test (fill in the circles).• 57 questions worth 2 points each57 questions worth 2 points each.• Around 42 multiple choice.• Around 15 true/ false.

• The test includes 5 current events 5 current events questionsquestions (names/ events are on the primer).

• There will be 4 extra credit points built into the test (the test is out of 100 points).

• Michael Nutter• US Troop surge in

Afghanistan• National Health

Care plan• IRS building assault

in Houston• Beth D’Addono• JoAnn Greco• Larry Andersen• Kevin Magee

• Toyota• Herb Magee• Brian Tierney• Allen Iverson• Flash mobs in

Center City• Ed Rendell• Tiger Woods• Haiti• Lower Merion

School District webcam scandal.

Potential current event topics …Potential current event topics …

Journalism ethics.

You need to develop a process for deciding how journalists how journalists

should behaveshould behave.

Whether you are a journalist or a consumer of journalism.

First: Is it a story?

Does it satisfy any newsworthiness criteria?

RelevanceConflict/controversy/disaster

Human Interest/drama Unusualness

Impact Proximity

Prominence/importance Timeliness

Second: Is it legal?

• Does it sacrifice national security?

• Does it cause public endangerment?

• Can it incite violence?

• Is it obscene?

• Is it libelous?

• Does it violate someone’s privacy?

Finally: Is it ethical?

The principles of journalism:

• Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth.

• Our loyalty is to the citizens.

• Journalism is a discipline of verification.

• We must remain independent.

• We must be an independent monitor of power.

The principles, part II:

• We provide a forum for public criticism and compromise.

• We have a duty to make the significant interesting and relevant.

• We must be comprehensive.

• Journalists must have a conscience.

• Citizens are a vital part of journalism.

Journalism Ethics!

There are three main rules that

you should never, ever break!1. Never, ever, ever fabricate a story!

2. Do not plagiarize!

3. Don’t pander to your subjects.

• Jayson Blair was a New York Times reporter who plagiarized and fabricated numerous stories over a four year period ending in 2003.

• He wrote stories from around the world without ever leaving Brooklyn.

• Stephen Glass wrote for The New Republic, Rolling Stone, George, Harper’s and many other publications. Most of his work was fiction.

• He fabricated 27 of 41 stories at the New Republic.

Why did they do it?

Was it just easier and more fun to make stuff up?

Conflict in Duties?• Duty to selfDuty to self: you deserve the glory, right?• Duty to employerDuty to employer: you have to keep the

bosses and the parent company happy, right?• Duty to the audienceDuty to the audience: give the people what

they want, right?• Duty to the Profession: what would a good

journalist do?• Duty to society: shouldn’t you put forth the

accepted values of society and try to improve upon them?

• Duty to self?• Duty to employer?• Duty to audience?• Duty to Profession?• Duty to society

Does your duty to the profession of journalism align

with you duty to self?

What about duty to society?

In 50 years, will you look back and cringe when you think about what you did?

(or didn’t do?)

Our ultimate duty should be to the truth.

As best as you can tell, that is.

Don’t panderpander to anyone.

Your obligation is to the truth, not the people who help you out (unless you are talking

about confidential sources).

What does that mean?

• You DO NOT accept gifts from people You DO NOT accept gifts from people you coveryou cover.

• This includes meals, tickets, trips, T-shirts, books, rides, appliances, liquor, Internet service, hotel rooms, club dues, CD’s, DVD’s, autographs, drum sticks, handbags, spa services and bobblehead dolls.

• Never, ever take CASH.

Why?

Journalists must avoid the appearance of impropriety.

Be aware of public perceptionpublic perception.

How far does that go?

Journalists love swag.

Many media outlets ban staff

from accepting gifts worth more than $25.

Junkets = Evil

Don’t sell your sell for a cruise.

Don’t sacrifice your integrity for access to the stars.

Remember: perception!Remember: perception!

Public relations experts will try to manipulate you.

Stonewalling:

Refusing to answer questions.

Framing:

Shaping how people see the issues.

If PR people set up events, should journalists cover them?

Do you have a greater dutygreater duty to your audience?

Or do you stand by your principles?

The code of the Society of Professional Journalists:

Ethical journalists treat Ethical journalists treat

sources, subjects and colleagues as human sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respectbeings deserving of respect.

Do you buy that?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKUkwh8TmM0

Is this good journalism?Is it legal?