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.

]This course situates contemporary U.S. journalism in its historical context and grounds students in the fundamental ethical principles of the discipline. Students will examine the role that journalism plays as a check on power in a democratic system, looking at times when the profession has succeeded or failed in that goal. Readings and discussions will focus on critical episodes in media history, from the Zenger trial and the rise of professional news-gathering to the Pentagon Papers and current challenges to a free press. Students will also examine the impact of disruptive technologies like radio, television and the Internet, and will be introduced to some of the profession’s greatest American practitioners, including Edward R. Murrow, Woodward and Bernstein, Ida B. Wells, and Ida Tarbell. Case studies involving ethical dilemmas in journalism will be presented for class discussion and debate, such as concepts like objectivity and independence and addressing biases based on factors like gender, religion, political party, or race.

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.