Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Are Journalists Qualified To Write About Health And Science?, Burnis R. Morris

Burnis R. Morris

This article examines the preparation of journalists to report on health and science issues. It traces the historical linkage between the news media and health and science and reports the results of a survey of college professors who teach reporting courses at 86 departments and schools of journalism and mass communication. The article, also intended to help explain the journalistic method to scientists, concludes that many young journalists are qualified to cover simple stories about health and science and other topics when they leave college and acquire the skills to report on more complex issues through on-the-job training and specialized …

Giving Voice To The "Voiceless:" Incorporating Nonhuman Animal Perspectives As Journalistic Sources, Carrie Packwood Freeman, Marc Bekoff, Sarah M. Bexell

Sarah M. Bexell, PhD

As part of journalism's commitment to truth and justice by providing a diversity of relevant points of view, journalists have an obligation to provide the perspective of nonhuman animals in everyday stories that influence the animals' and our lives. This essay provides justification and guidance on why and how this can be accomplished, recommending that, when writing about nonhuman animals or issues, journalists should: 1) observe, listen to, and communicate with animals and convey this information to audiences via detailed descriptions and audiovisual media, 2) interpret nonhuman animal behavior and communication to provide context and meaning, and 3) incorporate the …

Early Judaic Ethics Applied To The Society Of Professional Journalist’S Decision On The Fate Of The Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award, Ginny Whitehouse, Lindsay Huffman

Ginny Whitehouse

No abstract provided.

Op-Ed: How The Nanaimo Daily News Should Have Dealt With The Racist Letter To The Editor, Ginny Whitehouse

Ginny Whitehouse

Dan Olsen managed to embarrass the Nanaimo Daily News when the newspaper published his letter to the editor, a rant accusing First Nations peoples of being nothing more than government relief sponges without history or honour.

Lots of people were angry and disputed Olsen's claims, both within British Columbia's bands and amongst all people across Canada. Check here for the letter's full text and reaction. More than 1,000 joined a Facebook page protesting the Nanaimo paper's editorial judgment.

Giving Voice To The "Voiceless:" Incorporating Nonhuman Animal Perspectives As Journalistic Sources, Carrie Packwood Freeman, Marc Bekoff, Sarah M. Bexell

Carrie P. Freeman

As part of journalism's commitment to truth and justice by providing a diversity of relevant points of view, journalists have an obligation to provide the perspective of nonhuman animals in everyday stories that influence the animals' and our lives. This essay provides justification and guidance on why and how this can be accomplished, recommending that, when writing about nonhuman animals or issues, journalists should: 1) observe, listen to, and communicate with animals and convey this information to audiences via detailed descriptions and audiovisual media, 2) interpret nonhuman animal behavior and communication to provide context and meaning, and 3) incorporate the …

Ethics Defines The Professional, Ginny Whitehouse

Ginny Whitehouse

A thorough understanding of ethics is what will separate professional journalists from someone with a lambasting opinion and an internet portal. As more technology becomes available to a wider audience, journalists will capture their market and define their distinctiveness through their integrity. Knowing how to make ethical decisions will be the skill set that sets professional journalists apart.

Social Media Policies For Professional Communicators, Daxton R. Stewart

Daxton "Chip" Stewart

As social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have become increasingly prevalent ways for people to share and connect, professional communicators have increasingly incorporated these tools into their daily practice. However, journalism, advertising and public relations practitioners have little formal guidance to help them navigate the benefits and risks of using these tools professionally. The codes of ethics of their professional fields have not been updated, and to date, social media policies have not been examined from an academic perspective. This study reviews 26 social media policies of journalism and strategic communication companies to find common themes and …

The Aims Of Public Scholarship In Media Law And Ethics, Erik Ugland

Erik Ugland

No abstract provided.

Toward A Global Media Ethics: Theoretical Perspectives, Clifford G. Christians, Shakuntala Rao, Stephen J.A. Ward, Herman Wasserman

Shakuntala Rao

Theoretical debates about global media ethics have been marked by disagreements about the nature, possibility, and desirability of a global ethics. This article attempts to address those disagreements by developing an “ethics of universal being” as the philosophical basis for a global media ethics, an ethics expressed by such universals as the sacredness of life, truth, and nonviolence. The article aims to explore various theoretical positions on global media ethics by providing an overview of the literature and seeking ways in which common ground may be found between these different positions. This approach is developed in two ways. First, it …