DOCUMENT RESUME ED 458 164 SO 033 058 AUTHOR Stark, Rosalind G. TITLE Media Ethics: Where Do You Draw the Line? A Case Study Approach to Understanding News Coverage and Journalistic Decision-Making. For Students and Teachers in High School and College. INSTITUTION Freedom Forum, Arlington, VA. PUB DATE 1999-00-00 NOTE 129p.; Includes the report, "Jonesboro: Were the Media Fair?" AVAILABLE FROM NEWSEUM, Attn: Giftshop, 1101 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 ($24.95). Tel: 888-639-7386 (Toll Free); Tel: 703-284-3762; Fax: 703-522-4831; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.newseum.org/. PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Learner (051) Guides Classroom Teacher (052) Reports Evaluative (142) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC06 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Ethics; High Schools; Higher Education; Journalism History; Journalism Research; *Mass Media; Mass Media Role; *News Media; *News Reporting; Social Studies ABSTRACT This teaching package, for teachers and students in high school and college, has been developed to give students an in-depth look at the media in the United States, with an emphasis on the values, standards, and practices of good journalism. The material will have particular use in journalism courses and in social studies (history, government, political science, world geography) courses. Students who work on school publications or with electronic media will find the material relevant. This curriculum guide contains: a teacher's guide; transparencies of cases from the Newseum's Ethics Center; and "Jonesboro: Were the Media Fair?"--a report published by The Freedom Forum. The teacher's guide is divided into six parts: (1) "About 'Media Ethics: Where Do You Draw the Line?'";(2) "Background for Teachers"; (3)"Transparencies"; (4) "Case Studies"; (5) "When Tragedy Hits--A True Story"; and (6)"Some Final Words." Transparencies include: "The Story of Ruth Snyder"; "Terror in Oklahoma City"; "Watergate's 'Deep Throat'"; and "'Dateline NBC' Crosses a Line." Case study topics include: (1) "Did the Story Go Too Far?"; (2) "Will Fair but Sensitive Stories Be Allowed to Air on Student TV?"; (3) "Should You Publish this Photn?"; (4) "Detachment or Involvement?"; (5) "Making an Editorial Decision"; (6) "Is This Game Fair?"; (7) "Rush to Judgment"; (8) "Locker Room Luck"; (9) "Up Close and Personal"; (10) "If It Bleeds, It Leads";(11) "Should an Editor Protect Young Readers?"; and (12)"To What Lengths Should You Go To Get a Story?" (BB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. , I 11940114 FREEIXA1KRUN1 EMI AFTER ATtMUGH IIVESTIGMION, I-LAVE FOUND NO EVIDENCE 00 OF THE PURPORTED kr) "SLANT" MCONERPGE.. Cr) Cr) PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY (112_441 t-k U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES O This document has been reproduced as INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) received from the person or organization originating it 1 O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy MI = 13EST COPY AVAILABLE How to Visit the Newseum with Your Class You will need reservations to visit the Newseum ABOUT THE HEWSEUM with your school group. Please call, fax or go on- line for the Group Reservations Department to Newseum set up your visit: 703/284-3753; 703/284-3770 (fax); The Freedom Forum World Center www.newseum.org. It will take about an hour and 1101 Wilson Blvd. a half to two hours to see the Newseum with your Arlington, VA 22209 class. If possible, preview the Newseum before you arrive so you can pinpoint areas of particular Tel: Toll-free 888/NEwsEum or 703/284-3544 interest. After you have made arrangements for Education Department: 703/284-3545 the visit, you will receive specific information and FAX: 703/522-4831 instructions to help plan your day. Web site: www.newseum.org For a more in-depth look at a topic of interest to Metro: Rosslyn (Orange and Blue lines) your students, you also may want to schedule special class time in the Newseum's Education Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Center. For Education Center sessions, contact the Sunday. Admission is free. Education Department: 703/284-3545. MEDIA ETHICS: WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LONE? WHAT'S IN THIS PACKAGE: CS Curriculum guide Cs Transparencies CS "Jonesboro: Were the Media Fair?" A report published by The Freedom Forum © 1999, The Freedom Forum Newseum Inc. THIS PAGEINTENTIONALLYLEFT BLANK MEDIA ETHICS: Where doyou draw the line? A C SE STUDY APPROACH TO UNDERSTANONG NEWS C VERAGE AI'ti 11OU N USTIC DECOSBON AKONG BY ROSALIND G. STARK Acknowledgments "Media Ethics: Where Do You Draw the Line?" was Naomi Dixon, Wendy Eagan, Suzin Glickman, created for the Newseum's Education Department: Pat Kuehnel, Rebecca Sipos and other members Judith D. Hines, director of the Newseum's Teacher Advisory Team gave in- Leonard A. Hall, education programs manager valuable advice. Pat Kuehnel's students at Seneca Beth Schlenoff, graphic design. Ridge Middle School in Loudoun County, Va., tested the Jonesboro case study; their enthusiasm The impetus for this project comes from the and dedication were inspiring. Thanks also to Newseum and its comprehensive look at the past, Donna Wine, J.R. Tucker High School, Richmond, present and future of news. In particular, the Va., and others who attended the Journalism Newseum's Ethics Center provided the basis for Education Association's 1998 annual meeting, for the approach used with the case studies in this field-testing some of the case studies. To Oline package. The Ethics Center's scenarios, many of Stigers of The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, we which are reproduced here, were produced by appreciate and value your expert advice. Amy Maddox and Joe Cortina and written and edited by Patti Herman and Eric Newton. Karen The editorial cartoon on the cover of this curricu- Wyatt, Yvonne Egertson and Nancy Stewart lum guide was created for The Freedom Forum by developed the graphics for the Newseum's Ethics Mike Ramirez, ©1994, editorial cartoonist for the Center. Los Angeles Times. For their support of this project from its inception, The Center for International Leadership, the creators of "Media Ethics: Where Do You Draw Washington, D.C., provided the story titled "The the Line?" owe special thanks to Newseum Final Examination," page 7. Case study number 6, President Peter Prichard and Executive Director pages 37-38, titled "Is This Game Fair?" was Joe Urschel. Thanks, as well, to Managing Editor adapted with permission from "But Isn't Football Eric Newton for his insightful editorial guidance, Sacred?" in "Drawing The Line: How 31 editors and to Patty Casey, Maurice Fliess, Emi solved their toughest ethical dilemmas," published Matsumoto, Meredith Peck, Don Ross and Karen by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, Wyatt for their help with final touches. Reston, Va., 1984. A committee of Newseum volunteers provided The codes of ethics of the Society of Professional ongoing advice and consultation as this curricu- Journalists and the Radio-Television News lum package was being developed: Mary Arnold- Directors Association (pages 17-19) have been Hem linger, Lainge Bailey, Sumanto Banerji, Lily reprinted by permission of those organizations. Liu, Cesar Soriano, Emily Kohn, Zygmunt Nagorski and Kathryn Ann Shen lde. Special "The Ten Commandments of News" (page 20) thanks to them all and to the Newseum's Jackie from "Hold the Press: The Inside Story on Grant for coordinating the volunteers' efforts. Newspapers," was reprinted by permission, J. And to Lainge Bailey, Lily Liu, Cesar Soriano Hamilton and G. Krimsky, Louisiana State and Emily Kohn, who also served as writers, University press. editors and contributors, we express our deep appreciation. "Food Lion case shows that cameras, indeed, can lie," ©1999 by Philip Meyer, in USA TODAY, Feb. 17, 1999, was reprinted on page 51 by permission of the author. N WS UM .FUNDED BY THE FREEDOM FORUM Dear Educator: There's an old saying that the three most important things in journalism are accuracy, accuracy and accuracy. Why? Because when a news organization makes mistakes, it hurts. Ithurts the people who are described erroneously, it hurts the readers and viewers who have absorbed incorrectinformation and it hurts the credibility of the erring news organization and the industry. In the United States, the press's immense power and influence are built largely on the idea that news organizations are trustworthy. Every day at all times of the day we rely on the press to give us the information we need to go about the business of daily living. But getting at the truth and providing accurate, fair and balanced news reports are complex tasks. Newspeople have to make hard choices in order to do their jobs. Here at the Newseum, the world's first interactive museum of news, we hope to help newspeople and news consumers better understand each other. That means discussing anddebating the values of good journalism. We hope you'll visit the Newseum and see for yourself. We've got more news under one roof than any other place in the world, from Pulitzer Prize-winning pieces to tabloid journalism. What better place to teach your students about the role of news media in a free society? Even without a Newseum visit, you and your students can explore the complexities of everyday news decisions. That is why we have prepared this curriculum package, "Media Ethics: Where Do You Draw the Line?" Please accept and use it with our compliments. We believe the Newseum is a bold, challenging learning place for students.