Restoring confidence
Hello, Bloggers:
You've no doubt read or heard the latest survey results by Gallup that show journalists have fallen even further on the scale of ethical professions. Topping the list are nurses and elementary school teachers. Journalists are clustered near the bottom with car salesmen and operators of nursing homes. Folks in media think tanks are pondering the significance of this decline in public confidence. (That's what they get paid for.) Those of us on the frontlines of journalism education see this as part of the challenge we face in preparing journalism students for the workplace. What do you think needs to be done? Interestingly, I'm teaching the media ethics class in the spring and of the 32 students enrolled, 2 are journalism majors. Should an ethics course be required for print and electronic majors? Can you learn ethical behiavor in a classroom? What say you?
Professor Wiggins
You've no doubt read or heard the latest survey results by Gallup that show journalists have fallen even further on the scale of ethical professions. Topping the list are nurses and elementary school teachers. Journalists are clustered near the bottom with car salesmen and operators of nursing homes. Folks in media think tanks are pondering the significance of this decline in public confidence. (That's what they get paid for.) Those of us on the frontlines of journalism education see this as part of the challenge we face in preparing journalism students for the workplace. What do you think needs to be done? Interestingly, I'm teaching the media ethics class in the spring and of the 32 students enrolled, 2 are journalism majors. Should an ethics course be required for print and electronic majors? Can you learn ethical behiavor in a classroom? What say you?
Professor Wiggins
posted by Doug at 9:55 PM
1 Comments:
Ernie, I'm amazed that only two students are j-students. Yes, ethics should be required. But, no, I don't think you can "get it" in the classroom. Somehow, one has to have experiences to shape your ethical practices.
But the ethics class is a fine place to examine issues of trust and credibility, and why journalists have so little in the eyes of the public. Perhaps an interesting twist would be to have readers/viewers come to class and talk about their experiences with the media and why they might have a negative view.
Cheers,
Bryan Murley
www.webmurley.net/blog/
Post a Comment
<< Home