Description
Provides an overview of key constitutional, legal and policy influences on the current regulatory environment for journalism and the mass media. This course explores the theoretical and practical ethical questions of mass communication as judged through the application of moral principles. This is accomplished by reviewing pertinent moral philosophies (e.g. the "Golden Rule," Kant's Categorical Imperative, Hobbes’ moral relativism) and learning how they can be applied in examining every day moral problems in the mass media. It will examine the legal, regulatory, and ethical issues involving print and broadcast media and the Internet, including libel obscenity, invasion of privacy, shielding of sources, freedom of the press, copyright and government regulations. Moral problems unique to news, advertising and public relations are explored and discussed