The foundation of ethics in journalism rests upon principles of truthfulness, integrity, and accountability in reporting and storytelling. In the course, students will explore the historical context of mass media, one that has upheld racial, political, and socio-economic inequalities in America. Students will examine the continuum and the current crises in commercialized news media, including issues of bias, equity, local news, and the single narratives, and develop practices to navigate media as news consumers. Students will analyze higher functions for news media, its forms, and journalism at its highest ideals as a public good for the needs of our collective society. Students will learn about media law and make ethical decisions on deadline. Students will read works by past and present revolutionary voices; identify best practices for news storytelling; and create media visions for paths forward in journalism excellence.

The foundation of ethics in journalism rests upon principles of truthfulness, integrity, and accountability in reporting and storytelling. In the course, students will explore the historical context of mass media, one that has upheld racial, political, and socio-economic inequalities in America. Students will examine the continuum and the current crises in commercialized news media, including issues of bias, equity, local news, and the single narratives, and develop practices to navigate media as news consumers. Students will analyze higher functions for news media, its forms, and journalism at its highest ideals as a public good for the needs of our collective society. Students will learn about media law and make ethical decisions on deadline. Students will read works by past and present revolutionary voices; identify best practices for news storytelling; and create media visions for paths forward in journalism excellence.

Starting with the first colonial newspaper, U.S. journalism has actively promoted, organized, and even led identity-based discrimination and violence in our country. This reading-intensive course outlines this history and situates contemporary U.S. journalism in this historical context. Through guest visits, group discussions, and in-class presentations, this course also grounds students in fundamental ethical principles of journalism, examines capitalist and technological influences on the field, interrogates concepts such as "objectivity" and "truth," and challenges some of the industry's most venerated norms. Students read the work of Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. DuBois, Joan Didion, Alexandra Bell, Gabe Schneider, Juan González, Ryan Christopher Jones, and Jay Rosen, among others. Close attention is paid to alternative and "ethnic" press, Native American journalism, gender, and practices that are being challenged within beats such as food, travel, and foreign reporting.

The foundation of ethics in journalism relies on truthfulness, integrity, and accountability in storytelling. In class, students will discuss the history of mass media, one that is rooted in upholding racial, political, and socio-economic inequality in America. In that continuum, students will examine the current crises and reckonings in commercialized news media that include objectivity, equity, local news, and single narratives. Students will analyze higher functions for news media, its forms, and journalism as a public good for the needs in society. Students will learn about media law and make ethical decisions on deadline. Students will read works by revolutionary voices; identify best practices for news storytelling; and create media visions for paths forward.

This course tracks milestones in political thought and media history that affect journalistic practice, using the methods of the New Yorker’s checking department. While learning how to check and defend facts, students explore how “fake news” differs from real news; what determines which “facts” are recognized as true, and how journalists can ensure the accuracy of their writing. Each week explores a different theme: from Jefferson’s and Tocqueville’s visions of American press freedom to Orwell’s insights into fact erasure; from the influence of telegraph, radio, and television on democracy to the convulsions of the Civil Rights Era and Watergate; and from the reemergence of partisan news, the rise of the internet, the spread of the alt-right and conspiracy theories, and the threats of misinformation and information warfare. Each student follows a different publication throughout the term to give them a sense of the priorities and biases of each media outlet. Journalists, historians, podcasters and fact-checkers visit the class to share their expertise. The course aims to deepen students’ understanding of the power of fact and opinion in society while strengthening their ability to read and report the news effectively as press freedom, democratic institutions, and truth itself are under attack.

The foundation of ethics in journalism relies on truthfulness, integrity, and accountability in storytelling. In class, students will discuss the history of mass media, one that is rooted in upholding racial, political, and socio-economic inequality in America. In that continuum, students will examine the current crises and reckonings in commercialized news media that include objectivity, equity, local news, and single narratives. Students will analyze higher functions for news media, its forms, and journalism as a public good for the needs in society. Students will learn about media law and make ethical decisions on deadline. Students will read works by revolutionary voices; identify best practices for news storytelling; and create media visions for paths forward.